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Comparing SMS and E-mail Reminders in an Online Smoking Cessation Intervention

Not Applicable
Conditions
Nicotine Dependence Tobacco Product
Interventions
Other: Endre
Registration Number
NCT03276767
Lead Sponsor
University of Oslo
Brief Summary

The primary purpose of the current study is to compare the effect of SMS-textmessage vs e-mail reminders on user engagement and proportion of reported quit attempts in an online smoking cessation intervention.

Detailed Description

Web- and mobile phone health behavior change interventions, including smoking cessation programs, offer great promise, but little is known about how such interventions should be designed to increase user engagement. The primary purpose of the current study is to compare the effect of SMS-textmessage vs e-mail reminders on user engagement and proportion of reported quit attempts in an online smoking cessation intervention.

The investigators propose a 2-arm RCT with 700 adult study participants that all receive a best practices web-based smoking cessation program designed for use on smart phones (web-app). The intervention includes a ten day preparation phase, in which participants continue smoking. On the eleventh day (and onward) the user will receive a session in which (s)he is asked whether (s)he has quit smoking or not. If not, the user will receive additional treatment sessions until (s)he reports having quit (or dropped out of the study). Each day (for up to 14 days) a new unique session is assigned to the user. However, if the user does not log on to the web-intervention and starts using the session by noon on the second day after assignment, the user will receive a reminder to do so. When a user is to be sent a reminder for the first time, (s)he will be randomized to either receive such reminders by SMS or by e-mail.

The primary outcome is reporting a quit attempt or not. Secondary outcomes include number web-sessions started and completed and time spent navigating sessions after the first reminder is received.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
700
Inclusion Criteria
  • 18 years or older
  • current smoker
  • determined to or considering to quit smoking
  • provide valid e-mail address
  • provide valid norwegian cell phone number
  • complete a baseline questionnaire
  • start using the intervention (pushing the next page button one time or more on the first session provided)
  • has not logged on to any of the online session within noon on the second day after that particular session was made available
Exclusion Criteria
  • Not starting the first treatment session
  • Taking every treatment session on time (no need for reminders, and thus not randomized)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Online intervention with SMS reminderEndreReminders will be sendt by SMS-TEXTMESSAGE if users of "Endre" does not log on to an assigned online session by noon on the second day.
Online intervention with e-mail reminderEndreReminder will be sendt by E-MAIL if users of "Endre" does not log on to an assigned online session by noon on the second day.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Quit attemptWithin 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention

User report a quit attempt

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of sessions completedWithin 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention

Counted from after first reminder until reported quitting or study dropout (a unique session is made available each day)

Number of sessions started after first reminderWithin 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention

Counted from after first reminder until reported quitting or study dropout (a unique session is made available each day)

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Department of Addictology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

🇨🇿

Praha, Czechia

The Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research

🇳🇴

Oslo, Norway

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