Smoking Cessation Via Text Messaging: Feasibility Testing of Stop My Smoking USA
Condition: Smoking Cessation
Study type: Interventional

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.
    

Intervention name(s): SMS USA
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Intervention participants receive text messages daily pre-and post-quit. Everyone receives messages 14 days prior to the Quit day, and through the day after Quit. Then, participants are 'pathed' to particular messages based upon their self-reported smoking status at Day 2 and Day 7 post quit, respectively. Those who are successful at quitting receive messages aimed at relapse prevention whereas those who have slipped receive messages aimed at getting the person to recommit to quitting and trying again.
Other intervention name(s): Stop My Smoking USA
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Cellular Phone; Mobile Phone; Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Technology; Smoking cessation; young adults