Twitter-enabled Mobile Messaging for Smoking Relapse Prevention
Condition: Smoking
MeSH terms: Recurrence
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      In Phase I (N=40), we developed a treatment protocol for smoking cessation and relapse
      prevention that used virtual quit-smoking Twitter groups and Twitter-enabled interactive peer
      messaging. We tested and refined this protocol using two quit-smoking Twitter groups. In
      Phase II (N=160), we conducted a two-arm (test vs. control) randomized controlled trial of
      the treatment protocol created in Phase I. In Phase III (N=80) we ran additional quit-smoking
      Twitter groups and tested various interventions to increase engagement in the intervention,
      e.g., peer leaders. This research provided crucial data about the viability and methodology
      to be used in a larger randomized controlled trial that would directly measure smoking
      behavior.
    

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.

      In Phase II which took place from June 2012 through 2013, we conducted a two-condition
      randomized controlled trial (Aim 2). 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 quit-smoking Twitter
      group condition where the group members were instructed to use Twitter-enabled 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). 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' tweets,
      their virtual and face-to-face social networks, and several other possible mediating and
      moderating variables were also analyzed.
    

Intervention name(s): smoking cessation aides; Twitter
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): All participants will receive 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, referral to the NCI's online Smokefree.gov Quit Guide, and instruction to set a quit date within 8 days of study start.; Twitter quit-smoking group
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: twitter; quit smoking; smoking cessation; social media; peer support