UCare is a multimedia program designed to help women who want their husbands/partners to quit their use of chewing tobacco or snuff (smokeless tobacco). This site is part of a research project being conducted by the Oregon Research Institute (ORI) to study ways to effectively share social support skills with the partners of tobacco users. Founded in 1960, ORI has developed an international reputation in the behavioral sciences and continues to be a leader in the conduct of socially relevant research. ORI scientists strive to improve the quality of people’s lives through methodologically rigorous research, making significant contributions to understanding the causes and prevention of a variety of social problems.

The researchers responsible for this website have been leaders in developing smokeless tobacco cessation programs for the past 30 years, including the ChewFree.com and MyLastDip.com websites, booklets, videos and interactive CD-ROM programs, and phone counseling services. The research team has also been instrumental in making smokeless tobacco cessation services available through dental offices and worksite programs.

Development and evaluation of the UCare program is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of the National Institutes of Health. NIDA’s mission is to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.

UCare Credits:

at Oregon Research Institute:

Laura Akers, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Judy A. Andrews, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
Edward Lichtenstein, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
Herbert H. Severson, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
Zoe Brady, Research Assistant
Katie Clawson, Research Assistant
Christopher S. Widdop, Data Analyst

at the University of Arizona:

Judith S. Gordon, Ph.D., Co-Investigator

at InterVision:

Tom Jacobs, President
Toan Tran, Sr. Software Engineer/CFO
Steve Christiansen, CEO
Liana Herman, Project Manager
Widya Mak, Creative Director
Tara Feyma, Visual Designer
Lauren Brown, Digital Media Specialist
Ethan Sletteland, Lead Application Developer
Maurice Griffin, UX Developer
Levi Gideon, UX Developer
Roy Merkel, Software Engineer
Joe Merkel, Software Engineer

The quotations from women on the UCare site are adapted from interviews with women whose husbands have successfully quit smokeless tobacco.

The “Megan’s Morning” story was written for this website by award-winning author Nina Kiriki Hoffman.