Background
Text messaging programs on mobile phones have shown some promise in helping people
quit smoking. Text2Quit is an automated, personalized, interactive mobile health program
that sends text messages to offer advice, support, and reminders about quitting smoking.
Purpose
To evaluate the effect of Text2Quit on biochemically confirmed repeated point prevalence
abstinence in the context of an RCT conducted in the U.S.
Methods
Participants (n=503) were recruited on the Internet and randomized to receive Text2Quit or self-help
material. Between 2011 and 2013, participants were surveyed at baseline and at 1,
3, and 6 months post-enrollment to assess smoking status. Saliva was collected from
participants who reported not smoking in the past 7 days at the 6-month follow-up.
An intent to treat analysis was used, and those lost to follow-up were categorized
as smokers. All analyses were completed in 2013.
Results
Biochemically confirmed repeated point prevalence abstinence favored the intervention
group, with 11.1% abstinent compared to 5.0% of the control group (relative risk=2.22,
95% CI=1.16, 4.26, p<0.05). Similarly, self-reported repeated point prevalence abstinence was higher in
the intervention group (19.9%) than in the control group (10.0%) (p<0.01). Effects were found to be uniform across the analyzed demographic subgroups,
although suggestive of a larger effect for non-whites than whites.
Conclusions
These results provide initial support for the relative efficacy of the Text2Quit program.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: June 05, 2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
