Comparing SMS and E-mail Reminders in an Online Smoking Cessation Intervention

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The primary purpose of the current study is to compare the effect of SMS-textmessage vs e-mail reminders on user engagement and proportion of reported quit attempts in an online smoking cessation intervention.

Detailed Description
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Web- and mobile phone health behavior change interventions, including smoking cessation programs, offer great promise, but little is known about how such interventions should be designed to increase user engagement. The primary purpose of the current study is to compare the effect of SMS-textmessage vs e-mail reminders on user engagement and proportion of reported quit attempts in an online smoking cessation intervention. The investigators propose a 2-arm RCT with 700 adult study participants that all receive a best practices web-based smoking cessation program designed for use on smart phones (web-app). The intervention includes a ten day preparation phase, in which participants continue smoking. On the eleventh day (and onward) the user will receive a session in which (s)he is asked whether (s)he has quit smoking or not. If not, the user will receive additional treatment sessions until (s)he reports having quit (or dropped out of the study). Each day (for up to 14 days) a new unique session is assigned to the user. However, if the user does not log on to the web-intervention and starts using the session by noon on the second day after assignment, the user will receive a reminder to do so. When a user is to be sent a reminder for the first time, (s)he will be randomized to either receive such reminders by SMS or by e-mail. The primary outcome is reporting a quit attempt or not. Secondary outcomes include number web-sessions started and completed and time spent navigating sessions after the first reminder is received.

Official Title
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An RCT Comparing Reminders Sendt by SMS or by E-mail in an Online Smoking Cessation Intervention

Conditions
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Nicotine Dependence Tobacco Product

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Endre


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18 years or older current smoker determined to or considering to quit smoking provide valid e-mail address provide valid norwegian cell phone number complete a baseline questionnaire start using the intervention (pushing the next page button one time or more on the first session provided) has not logged on to any of the online session within noon on the second day after that particular session was made available Exclusion Criteria: Not starting the first treatment session Taking every treatment session on time (no need for reminders, and thus not randomized)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants receive one out of two versions of a web-based smoking cessation program. The only difference between the two versions is the medium of the reminder: either SMS-textmessage or e-mail.
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Online intervention with SMS reminder<br>Reminders will be sendt by SMS-TEXTMESSAGE if users of Endre does not log on to an assigned online session by noon on the second day. | Other: Endre<br>* The online intervention, Endre, a digital smoking cessation counsellor that communicates with the user primarily through interactive web-sessions. Intervention content is tailored based on user input and individual usage pattern. Up to 14 unique sessions is assigned to the users during the study period, one each day. If a user does not start a session by noon on the second day a reminder will be sendt.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Online intervention with e-mail reminder<br>Reminder will be sendt by E-MAIL if users of Endre does not log on to an assigned online session by noon on the second day. | Other: Endre<br>* The online intervention, Endre, a digital smoking cessation counsellor that communicates with the user primarily through interactive web-sessions. Intervention content is tailored based on user input and individual usage pattern. Up to 14 unique sessions is assigned to the users during the study period, one each day. If a user does not start a session by noon on the second day a reminder will be sendt.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quit attempt | User report a quit attempt | Within 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of sessions completed | Counted from after first reminder until reported quitting or study dropout (a unique session is made available each day) | Within 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention | 
| Number of sessions started after first reminder | Counted from after first reminder until reported quitting or study dropout (a unique session is made available each day) | Within 6 weeks after starting the first session of the intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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online intervention, e-Health, reminder, SMS-textmessage, e-mail, mobile phone, cell phone