Text Messaging-Based Smoking Cessation Program for Homeless Youth

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Unaccompanied homeless youth smoke at much higher rates than non-homeless adolescents and young adults. Many homeless youth smokers are motivated to quit; yet, strategies specifically developed for this vulnerable population are lacking. This study will develop and pilot test a text messaging intervention (also known as a TMI) to help homeless youth quit smoking. Text messaging can provide ongoing support for homeless youth during a quit attempt, which is important given that these youth tend to be highly mobile and lack regular access to health services. Participants in this study will be homeless youth who currently smoke and are motivated to quit smoking. All participants will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session and a nicotine replacement product. Half of these smokers will also receive the TMI, for 6 weeks following the group counseling session, which will provide ongoing support for quitting. The main goal of this study is to investigate whether receiving the TMI results in greater reductions in cigarette smoking over a 3-month period compared to receiving the group counseling session alone.

Official Title
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Text Messaging-Based Smoking Cessation Program for Homeless Youth

Conditions
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Cigarette Smoking

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Group counseling and nicotine replacement
* Behavioral: Group counseling, nicotine replacement, and text messaging support


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: between ages of 18-25 seeking services at one of the participating drop-in centers for homeless youth smoked at least 5 cigarettes per day on at least 20 days in the past month motivated to quit in next 30 days has a cell phone to receive text messages and willing to receive text messages Exclusion Criteria: currently pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed in the next 6 months has a medical condition (based on self-report) which would prevent using the nicotine replacement product used pharmacotherapy to reduce or stop smoking in the past 30 days currently receiving other smoking cessation services

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 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: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Standard Condition<br>Participants in the standard condition will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session based on the 5 A's approach (Ask; Advise; Assess; Assist; Arrange) and free nicotine replacement. | Behavioral: Group counseling and nicotine replacement<br>* Participants will receive a 30-minute group smoking cessation counseling session and a supply of nicotine replacement.<br>|
| Experimental: Enhanced Condition<br>Participants in the standard condition will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session based on the 5 A's approach (Ask; Advise; Assess; Assist; Arrange), free nicotine replacement, and the 6-week text messaging intervention. | Behavioral: Group counseling, nicotine replacement, and text messaging support<br>* Participants will receive a 30-minute group smoking cessation counseling session, a supply of nicotine replacement, and the 6-week text messaging intervention to provide ongoing support for quitting<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 90 day continuous abstinence | Participants will self-report whether they have smoked any cigarettes between baseline and 3-month follow-up | 90 days | 
| 7 day abstinence | Participants will self-report whether they have smoked any cigarettes in the past 7 days. Self-reported abstinence will be biochemically verified. | 7 days |