Smoking Cessation App. in Arabic
- Conditions
- Smoking Cessation
- Registration Number
- NCT06766227
- Lead Sponsor
- Yarmouk University
- Brief Summary
Smoking remains a significant global health challenge, causing over 8 million deaths annually, with the burden predominantly in low- and middle-income countries. Jordan experiences some of the highest smoking rates worldwide, contributing to substantial health risks and premature mortality. Despite the prevalence of mobile health (mHealth) applications for smoking cessation, few have supported the Arabic language and none have been evaluated for their efficacy. Our main goal is to develop a culture-sensitive mHealth app in Arabic for smoking cessation and test its efficacy.
- Detailed Description
Jordan's smoking rates remain among the highest globally despite various initiatives such as smoke-free policies, advertising bans, increased tobacco taxes, and health promotion programs. Mobile health (mHealth) apps have proven effective in delivering education, monitoring health, supporting diagnoses, and acting as therapeutic platforms, overcoming barriers like location, scheduling, and cost. In Jordan, 90% of the population owns smartphones. High-quality apps typically include features like education, goal-setting, progress tracking, skill-building exercises, and community support. Smoking cessation apps' success rates reached up to 27%, where abstinence rates range from 11% to 40.9% within six months.
Treatment guidelines for smoking cessation and/or Psychological therapeutic models such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness were infrequently or partially addressed in most Apps. CBT-based smoking-cessation apps are suggested to be more effective. However, adherence to evidence-based guidelines in these apps is low including most commercially available apps. Long-term studies to evaluate App effectiveness and sustainability are scarce. Smoking cessation Apps studies from low-middle-income countries had poor quality, including small sample size, weak designs, and methodological problems, and can't be generalizable across different geographic areas. There is a limited number of smoking cessation Apps in Arabic with no studies testing their efficacy. The Arabic language is widespread, there are about 360.2 people Arabic is their native language encompassing 22 countries. Therefore, the smoking cessation App in Arabic shows an exciting promise for lowering smoking rates at a low cost and convenient setting and thereby preventing tobacco-related premature deaths.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- NOT_YET_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 150
- Study participants will be students attending Yarmouk University recruited through emails and flyers distributed to all offer the University's Faculties. Participation will be on a voluntary base. Only students who fulfill the following criteria will be invited to participate in the study. The inclusion criteria are: 1) a Yarmouk University student, 2) aged 18 years old and above, 3) smoked ≥5 cigarettes a day for the past year (25), 4) have a smartphone (iOS or Android), and 4) express willingness to quit smoking.
- The exclusion criteria are: 1) non-Arabic speaker, 2) have certain conditions that interfere with the intervention like blindness or deafness, 3) have clinical depression or mental illness, 4) smoke only hookah, or 5) participate in another smoking cessation program.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Successful quit attempt 3 months A successful smoking quit event is defined as follows: Participants reported 30 days' abstinence from smoking and all nicotine/tobacco products (Hookah, e-cigarettes, HEETS, cigars, gums ...etc.), and very low level of nicotine level (account for second-hand smoking levels) will be considered translated into 30-point abstinence prevalence, and the normal nicotine level in saliva or blood level. Smoking status was the self-reported response to the question "When was the last time you smoked or even tried a cigarette?" Responses choices were "Earlier today", "24 hours ago", "2-7 days ago", "8-30 days ago", and "Over 30 days ago". Salivary or blood Cotinine level test is sensitive to nicotine level for 48-72 hrs. and the samples can be stored for up to three months without jeopardizing the validity of the test
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Reduction in Smoking Rate 3 months 7-day point prevalence abstinence outcome or decrease in daily cigarettes use
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Yarmouk University
🇯🇴Irbid, Jordan