Smartphones: A Catalyst for Tobacco Control Training in India

Abstract

The tobacco crisis confronting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires scale-up of effective tobacco control programs, such as Tobacco Free Teachers-Tobacco Free Society (TFT-TFS). We previously demonstrated the efficacy of TFT-TFS in increasing tobacco use cessation among teachers and schools’ adoption of tobacco control policies in Bihar, India. To scale TFT-TFS, we are now pioneering a smartphone-based mobile learning strategy to train principals (or their designees) in Madhya Pradesh to implement and monitor TFT-TFS in schools. Research underscores the transformative potential of mobile learning: a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to in-person training methods. Our study is a unique opportunity to test a training approach that could have implications for wider and more efficient delivery of other public health programs. The strategic use of gamification and digital storytelling enhances the TFT-TFS mobile training app. Gamification mechanics—including points, leaderboards, and digital badging—foster a dynamic learning environment to enhance learning outcomes. This approach propels continuous participant engagement toward understanding and implementation of TFT-TFS’s six monthly themes and four program components. The TFT-TFS smartphone training program weaves in elements of Indian culture, notably the symbolic use of colors and kites. The Indian kite festival celebrates communal harmony through healthy competition. Similarly, the app employs the idea of school kites, which are divided into six blank segments corresponding to the TFT-TFS monthly themes. Participants navigate each module, engaging with animated videos, digital assessments, and interactive activities. Upon a principal’s successful completion of each monthly theme’s program components, the school’s kite receives a new color, unlocking the subsequent theme. The TFT-TFS smartphone training showcases a unique interactive mobile learning application that integrates gamification and tests how to scale up an effective tobacco control program in schools in India and other LMICs. The TFT-TFS smartphone-based training app may also have relevance to other public health-related training efforts in resource-constrained areas.