Vidrine DJ, et al. - Researchers investigated the efficacy of mobile phone–delivered smoking cessation interventions targeted to smokers at neighborhood sites serving racial/ethnic minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. In this 3-group randomized clinical trial of 624 current cigarette smokers, they identified biochemically verified abstinence in 13 (12.0%) in the nicotine replacement therapy group, 19 (12.0%) with the addition of text messaging, and 28 (25.5%) with the addition of text messaging plus call. Abstinence was approximately 1.5 to 2.0 times higher among participants in the group receiving all 3 interventions than those receiving nicotine replacement therapy alone. The findings thus suggest that cessation rates for socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers may not increase on assignment to an intervention consisting of text messaging alone. However, text messaging plus proactive counseling seems to be an efficacious option.

Methods

• Researchers performed a group-randomized clinical trial with neighborhood site serving as the sampling unit to compare smoking cessation interventions that included
• Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT),
• NRT plus text messaging, and
• NRT plus text messaging plus proactive counseling via mobile phone.
• At churches, public housing complexes, and community centers located throughout the Houston, Texas, area, recruitment was done.
• From August 13, 2011, through December 12, 2014, they enrolled a total of 624 current cigarette smokers 18 years or older at neighborhood sites.
• On June 12, 2015, completion of final follow-up was done, and from August 17, 2017, through May 10, 2018, they analyzed data, based on intention to treat.
• Interventions comprised nicotine replacement therapy consisting of transdermal nicotine patches; NRT plus text messages, transdermal nicotine patches and individually tailored mobile phone text messages; and NRT plus text plus call, transdermal patches, individually tailored mobile phone text messages, and proactive counseling via mobile phone.
• Smoking abstinence at 6 months, defined as biochemically verified smoking abstinence (calculated among a subgroup of 377 participants) as determined by saliva cotinine level; and as self-reported 30-day abstinence (calculated among all 624 participants), was assessed as the primary outcome.

Results

• For this study, 624 current cigarette smokers comprised the study sample (50.6% female; mean [SD] age, 45.8 [12.8] years).
• One hundred twenty seven participants self-reported 30-day abstinence and were asked to provide saliva samples among the 377 participants eligible for biochemical verification.
• Ninety eight samples were returned among these (participants who did not return samples were coded as smoking).
• They observed biochemically verified abstinence rates of 12.0% for NRT, 12.0% for NRT plus text, and 25.5% for NRT plus text plus call.
• In the NRT plus text plus call group, participants showed 2.11 (95% CI, 1.00-4.48) times higher tendency to be biochemically verified as abstinent compared with the NRT group.
• Observations indicated no differences in biochemically verified abstinence between the NRT plus text group and the NRT group.
• They observed similar associations with the self-report cessation outcomes.