Mobile technology: a synopsis and comment on “mobile phone-based interventions for smoking cessation”

Abstract

Mobile phone use in healthcare continues to expand as technology becomes a ubiquitous component of everyday life. Thirty-one percent of cell phone owners have used their phone to look up health information [1]. Internet and mobile phone-based interventions are increasingly used by healthcare providers to assist patients in healthy lifestyle behavior interventions [2]. Specifically, smoking cessation programs have begun to adopt mobile phone interventions as a treatment delivery option as part of internet-based or in-person coaching programs. Mobile phones offer benefits such as: ease of administration of the program to a large population, low cost, ability to tailor interventions to individuals, and the ability to send just-in-time messages. This article summarizes the findings of a recent systematic review of the efficacy of using mobile technology interventions in the pursuit of smoking cessation. Are mobile-based interventions effective at helping people who smoke to quit? The authors searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialised Register in May 2010, the UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio for current projects, and the Clinical Trials register for ongoing or recently completed studies. Searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials (2012), MEDLINE (2012), EMBASE (2012) were also included. There were no restrictions placed on language or publication date. Search criteria included mobile phone, cell phone, txt, pxt, sms, or mms in the title, abstract, or keywords. Studies were limited to randomized and quasi-randomized trials. Participants were of any age and wanted to quit smoking. Studies were examining any mobile phone-based intervention. Trials were excluded if mobile phones were used as an adjunct to face-to-face or internet-based programs. For example, programs that used text messaging to remind participants to attend appointments were not used.