Feasibility, Acceptability, and Piloting of a Virtual Counselor Tobacco Cessation Intervention With Community Health Worker Linkage to Lung Cancer Screening

In anticipation of a future two-arm type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial comparing a virtual counselor-led computer delivered intervention (VCTC) augmented with CHW support in low-income housing units in Baltimore City. This pilot study will generate preliminary data for a larger study. The investigators will conduct a feasibility pilot study of the entire VCTC and CHW intervention with a sample of participants (N=15) to collect data on the feasibility of recruitment, intervention engagement and completion, and short-term smoking cessation outcomes. Individuals will be assessed at baseline, one month, and three months. At the end of three months, the investigators will conduct follow-up interviews with a subset of pilot participants to collect qualitative data on intervention acceptability. Based on the information collected in these efforts, the investigators will make iterative improvements to the existing intervention, aligned with user-experience design procedures.

Participants will be recruited through flyers posted in and around the housing units and distributed to tenants by housing unit staff. Flyers will describe the study and contain a study phone number to call. Information may also be distributed by study staff during non-study-related health and wellness activities conducted at the sites. At initial contact, a study staff member will discuss the study purpose and determine eligibility. If eligible, the staff member will proceed to discuss requirements, review risks and benefits, and obtain informed consent from interested participants.

Consent process: After confirming eligibility with screening questions via phone, potential participants will be offered the option of reviewing the study information and consent form over a Zoom video conference. Regardless of whether the participants choose to review this information in advance, all potential participants will complete the consent process and sign the consent form at the beginning of the first in-person visit, which will be conducted on-site at the participants housing community.

Baseline Assessment: This will occur on the same day as the in-person portion of the consent process. Initial evaluation will comprise the research assessments detailed in Table 1, including demographics, a clinical history, a tobacco use history, and a number of tobacco-related measures. Assessments will be self-administered via tablet computer.

Intervention: