Smoking Cessation Via Text Messaging: Feasibility Testing of Stop My Smoking USA

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Smoking Cessation

Interventions: Behavioral: SMS USA

Registration Number: NCT01516632

Lead Sponsor: Center for Innovative Public Health Research

Brief Summary: The investigators developed a text messaging-based smoking cessation program called SMS (Stop My Smoking) USA. It was tailored for the unique needs and smoking habits of young adults. The investigators hypothesized that those in the SMS USA intervention would be significantly more likely to be quit at 6-months compared to the attention-matched control group.

Detailed Description: About one in four young adults are current smokers. Although over half report the desire to quit or cut down, quit rates in this age group have remained stagnant in the last ten years. Text messaging may represent a compelling intervention delivery method for smoking cessation for young adults because it is a medium they have widely adopted. Cell phone interventions also are unique because of their 'always on' capability - interventions are never far from the young adult's reach and they are received automatically instead of requiring the participant to initiate contact in order to receive the information. Dr. Ybarra, along with Drs. Holtrop and Graham, have developed SMS Turkey, an innovative behavioral intervention that uses text messaging to deliver CBT-based smoking cessation information to participants daily. Successful use of text messaging to deliver smoking cessation programs has been reported by Rodgers and colleagues in New Zealand and a replication study they are leading in the United Kingdom. These data provide optimism for the feasibility of text messaging-based smoking cessation programs in the United States. Using qualitative methods to inform design and content, and quantitative methods to assess the feasibility of the program, we propose to design and test SMS (Stop My Smoking) USA, a cell-phone based smoking cessation program for young adults ages 18-25. This innovative smoking cessation program uses technology widely adopted by young adults, an under-targeted population, to deliver a proactive, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based intervention. Our multidisciplinary team of researchers brings together expertise in Internet health and the design of tailored smoking cessation interventions.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 164

Inclusion Criteria

28 cigarettes or more per week (at least 4/day) and on at least 6 days/week.
Owning a text-capable cell phone and cognizant of how to send and receive text messages
Currently enrolled or intending to enroll in an unlimited text messaging plan
Enrolled with a cell phone carrier that was compatible with the program software
Agree to verification of smoking cessation status by a significant other
Able to read and write in English
Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

None

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
SMS USA	SMS USA	The 6-week smoking cessation intervention

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Continuous Abstinence at 3-months Assessed in Accordance With the NIH Behavior Change Consortium's Recommendations	3-months post-quit	Continuous abstinence is defined as 5 or fewer cigarettes smoked since one's quit date. The question was asked based upon West et al., 2005: "Have you smoked at all, even just a puff, since \[insert quit date\]?" If yes, the respondent will be probed for how many cigarettes were smoked. Responses will be categorized into one of three options: A) No, not a puff; B) 1-5 cigarettes; C) More than 5 cigarettes. Self-reported cessation is confirmed by a significant other.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Point Prevalence	4-weeks post-quit	A cigarette, even just a puff, within the last 7 days (yes/no).
Continuous Abstinence at 4-weeks Post-quit	4 weeks post-quit	Smoking five or fewer cigarettes since quit day at 4 weeks post-quit as verified by a significant other