IU public health researchers receive $900,000 grant to help pregnant women stop smoking

Jon Macy

Public health researchers at Indiana University received a three-year, $900,000 grant from the Indiana State Department of Health to study the cost benefit of new, innovative strategies to reduce smoking during pregnancy.

One of the Indiana State Department of Health’s top three initiatives is to lower the state’s infant mortality rate, which is sixth worst in the United States. Smoking during pregnancy is a major contributor to infant mortality, and Indiana has one of the highest rates of smoking during pregnancy: 16.6 percent compared to 13 percent nationally.

“The State Health Department deserves a lot of credit for tackling this important public health issue for Indiana by investing in research to identify effective interventions that will save most importantly lives but also scarce resources," said Jon Macy, lead researcher for the project and assistant professor at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington. "We really need to lower the rate of smoking during pregnancy in Indiana, so I’m excited to get started on this project.”

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