Abstract
BackgroundPrevious research has suggested that mobile phone applications (apps) may potentially increase quit rates. The purpose of this single-group cohort study sought to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel smartphone-based smoking cessation app designed for smoking cessation in China: smoking quit rate.MethodsA total of 180 smokers from two cities of mainland China with willingness to make a quit attempt were invited to this smoking cessation app program, a cognitive behavioral theory (CBT)-based smoking cessation intervention via a smartphone app. Participants received 37- to 44-day intervention (including 7- to 14-day pre-quit preparation and 33-day intervention from quit date). Feasibility and acceptability of the program, and smoking status were assessed at baseline stage (initial installation), pre-quit stage, and post-quit stage (days 7, 15, and 33 after quit date).ResultsA total of 163 (90.6%) participants completed the study. Among them, 76–89% of the participants logged into the app ≥1 time per day across stages (at baseline, during pre-quit stage, and on days 7, 15, and 33 of post-quit stage); approximately 90% of the participants were satisfied with the app across stages. A significant rise in self-reported overall satisfaction with the app is observed from baseline (93% at Time 1) to the end of the program (98% at Time 2, 33 days after quit date) (p = 0.021). Participants who believed/agreed this app can help them to quit smoking significantly increased from 69% at baseline to 97% at day 33 after quit date (p < 0.001). Participants were satisfied with most (80–90%) of the features, especially the information feature. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that the percentage of 33-day self-reported continuous prevalence abstinence was 63.9%, and 7-day point prevalence abstinence rate was 81.7, 87.2, and 77.8% on days 7, 15, and 33 after quit date, respectively.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the smartphone app intervention for smoking cessation and introduced a new digital treatment model, which is expected to overcome barriers facing accessing traditional in-person smoking cessation services and extend nationwide smoking cessation services in China.
Highlights
IntroductionTobacco use (mainly cigarette smoking) is one of the most serious but avoidable public health problems in the world, globally causing 7.69 million of premature deaths and 200 million disability-adjusted life-years in a single year, 2019 [1]
Since the first cessation clinic in China was set up in 1996, China has more than 800 cessation clinics, but only a few patients are willing to seek assistance in these smoking cessation clinics [5]
In China, the main reasons why current interventions are not commonly used are smoking prevalence of male physicians is relatively high, while the quit rate is relatively low, and standard smoking cessation practices are rarely provided by health service providers (HSPs) [6–8]; these are the main reasons why current interventions are not commonly used in China
Summary
Tobacco use (mainly cigarette smoking) is one of the most serious but avoidable public health problems in the world, globally causing 7.69 million of premature deaths and 200 million disability-adjusted life-years in a single year, 2019 [1]. One of the targets in the HC 2030 strategy sets is to reduce prevalence of smoking from 27.7% in 2015 to 20% by 2030 [4]. In China, the main reasons why current interventions are not commonly used are smoking prevalence of male physicians is relatively high, while the quit rate is relatively low, and standard smoking cessation practices are rarely provided by health service providers (HSPs) [6–8]; these are the main reasons why current interventions are not commonly used in China. Previous research has suggested that mobile phone applications (apps) may potentially increase quit rates. The purpose of this single-group cohort study sought to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel smartphone-based smoking cessation app designed for smoking cessation in China: smoking quit rate
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