From 1996 to 1997, researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., Boston, carried out a project to determine the best mechanisms for disseminating information about the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Guideline on Smoking Cessation to labor union leaders and membership.

The project was conducted in collaboration with two major labor organizations the AFL-CIO's Substance Abuse Institute and the Laborers' International Union of North America's Health and Safety Fund of North America (representing over 13.3 million workers).

Key Results

• The research team conducted a needs assessment in each of the two target labor organizations and began to develop training modules for each organization.
  
  The project thus took advantage of existing resources in the labor movement to disseminate the Guideline to key decision-makers involved in the purchase of health benefits for union members, a population shown to be at particularly high risk of suffering the consequences of smoking.

Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported the project with a grant of $39,542 between June 1996 and February 1997.