Twitter-enabled Mobile Messaging for Smoking Relapse Prevention

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Smoking

Interventions: Behavioral: smoking cessation aides
Behavioral: Twitter

Registration Number: NCT01602536

Lead Sponsor: University of California, Irvine

Brief Summary: We conducted a two-arm (test vs. control, N=160) randomized controlled trial of small, private, online support groups for quitting smoking with 20 people per group who were seeking to quit smoking. A novel feature was a bot (auto-messenger) that posted a daily cessation-related discussion topic in each group, timed to the group's quit date.

Detailed Description: Smoking relapse rates remain high, innovative strategies are needed to lower them, and web-based social networking may help like Twitter. This developmental research examined whether providing virtual (web-based) social support to smokers, through Twitter-enabled interactive peer texting, could help smokers quit and avoid relapses. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service, one of the most advanced and novel technologies available today that can provide social support to smokers, and it provides free texting to groups. It is global and has many features that are associated with treatment success including interactive, multi-way, live messaging and mobile accessibility, because the messages go instantly to mobile phones and to the web. It can provide an innovative way to reach smokers who might otherwise not seek treatment, and it can be extended to other health domains. From June 2012 through 2014, we conducted a two-condition randomized controlled trial. All participants in this trial (N=160) received 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, referral to the NCI's online Smokefree.gov Quit Guide, and instruction to set a quit date within 1 week of study start. Participants were also randomly assigned at the individual level to one of two conditions: (1) a virtual or online quit-smoking group on Twitter where the group members were instructed to use interactive peer messaging to help them quit and stay quit, or (2) a control group condition where the group members were not given this instruction or a Twitter group. In total, there were 4 Twitter groups and 4 control groups with 20 smokers randomly assigned to each group (i.e., N=80 test, N=80 control). In the Twitter groups, a bot (auto-messenger) posted a daily cessation-related discussion topic in each group, timed to the group's quit date. The primary outcome was self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence that was sustained at 7, 30 and 60 days after the quit date. Participants' posts, their virtual and face-to-face social networks, and several other possible mediating and moderating variables were also analyzed.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 160

Inclusion Criteria

must have smoked 100 cigarettes during their lifetime
must currently smoke 5 or more cigarettes a day
must be in the preparation stage of quitting smoking
ages 18-59 years
English speaking
have a mobile phone with an unlimited texting plan and internet access
use text messaging at least once a week
use Facebook daily
have an active email account
live in the continental USA

Exclusion Criteria

a medical condition that is contra-indicated for nicotine replacement therapy:
pregnant
breast feeding
a recent heart attack
an irregular heartbeat
high blood pressure not controlled with medication
skin allergies to adhesive tape or serious skin problems
taking a prescription medicine for depression or anxiety
use drugs or marijuana regularly
live in the same household with another participant

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Twitter	Twitter	Experimental participants are assigned a 20-person twitter quit-smoking group to interact with, are instructed to use Twitter-enabled interactive peer messaging,and are sent daily messages to encourage interaction. The baseline intervention 'smoking cessation aides' is also provided.
Control	smoking cessation aides	Control participants are not assigned to a twitter group. The baseline intervention 'smoking cessation aides' is also provided.
Twitter	smoking cessation aides	Experimental participants are assigned a 20-person twitter quit-smoking group to interact with, are instructed to use Twitter-enabled interactive peer messaging,and are sent daily messages to encourage interaction. The baseline intervention 'smoking cessation aides' is also provided.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-reported 7-day Point Prevalence Abstinence From Smoking That Was Sustained at 60 Days After the Quit Date	60 days after quit date	self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence from smoking that was sustained at 60 days after the quit date, based on survey

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Level of Engagement Based on Tweet Volume	100 days total	level of engagement based on tweet volume which is observed in support groups

Trial Locations

Locations (2): Hosted Study Website Tweet2Quit@Merage.Uci.Edu
🇺🇸
Irvine, California, United States
University of California Irvine
🇺🇸
Irvine, California, United States