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The Unvarnished Truth: Pursuing Health Equity by Correcting Disinformation Targeting African Americans about the FDA's Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars

Award Number: R01MD018728
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/19/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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The Unvarnished Truth: Pursuing Health Equity by Correcting Disinformation Targeting African Americans about the FDA's Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars - PROJECT ABSTRACT In April 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and all characterizing flavors in cigars. African Americans have high rates of menthol cigarette and flavored cigar use, which likely contributes to their disproportionate experience of tobacco-related health conditions. In response to the FDA’s announcement, the tobacco industry and its sources promulgated disinformation in African American communities about the increased criminalization and police discrimination for using tobacco products when the rules are enforced. Although the FDA has stated that it cannot and will not enforce actions against individual consumers for possessing or using menthol cigarettes or flavored cigars, disinformation about the flavor ban and its harmful impacts continues spreading among African American communities. The proposed study seeks to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of multi-level, anti-disinformation messages (ADM) to disrupt the spread and mitigate the detrimental effects of disinformation about the FDA’s proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. In Aim 1, we will employ community-based participatory research methods to develop and engage with an Expert Advisory Board (EAB) that will engage in shared decision-making and provide their perspectives on all study activities. In Aim 2, we will conduct formative research to a) characterize the tobacco industry and its operatives’ rhetoric about the consequences of the anticipated flavor ban and b) elicit AA/Bs’ knowledge and perceptions about the anticipated flavor ban. Aim 2 data will inform the development of the Intervention Mapping (IM) logic models that depict the behavioral and environmental risk factors and determinants of respondents’ flavor ban receptivity. In Aim 3, we will use of IM process to develop, pre-test, and refine the individual and community-level ADM and creative concepts among AA/B participants. Finally, in Aim 4, we will conduct a randomized treatment and control evaluation design to test the effectiveness of our individual and community-based ADM campaign on AA/Bs’ receptivity to the flavor ban and counter- industry beliefs. Knowledge gained from this study will inform the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products Communication Office and state and local public health departments regarding salient messages to communicate about the flavor ban to AA/B and other vulnerable populations.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $631,886 )
2026	2026	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	4	2/17/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$63,188
2026	2026	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	4	1/23/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$568,698
														Subtotal = $631,886

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $642,161 )
2025	2025	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	3	4/28/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$64,216
2025	2025	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	3	2/18/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$577,945
														Subtotal = $642,161

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $631,104 )
2024	2024	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	2	2/1/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$585,560
2024	2024	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	002	2	5/30/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$45,544
2024	2023	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	11/8/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $631,104

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $666,743 )
2023	2023	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	7/19/2023	NEW	$666,743
														Subtotal = $666,743

Grand Total All Awards = $2,571,894

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The Unvarnished Truth: Pursuing Health Equity by Correcting Disinformation Targeting African Americans about the FDA's Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars

Award Number: R01MD018728

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/19/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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