Health Literacy Interventions for Smoking
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Objectives:Smokers with varying levels of health literacy as assessed by the S-TOFHLA (i.e., inadequate, marginal, adequate) recruited from the community will listen to one of 4 different types of messages emphasizing the health consequences of smoking recorded on a computer in the form of audio scripts (i.e., a human voice pre-recorded on a computer will read each message). Messages written at a 5th to 6th grade reading level will be concurrently presented in written form via a computer monitor and be manipulated in terms of 1) emotionality (i.e., primarily fact- vs. primarily emotion-based), and 2) framing (i.e., gain-framed messages that highlight the potential benefits of quitting smoking vs. loss-framed messages that emphasize the potential costs of failing to quit smoking). Emotionality and framing will be completely crossed to create four different types of messages, 1) factual gain-framed (FGF), 2) factual loss-framed (FLF), 3) emotional gain-framed (EGF), and 4) emotional loss-framed (ELF).The primary objectives are to:1. Examine whether main effects emerge for health literacy as assessed by the S-TOFHLA (inadequate, marginal, adequate) and the different message types (fact- vs. emotion-based and gain- vs. loss-framed) on the primary explicit and implicit outcomes: a) intention to quit, and b) implicit and explicit attitudes toward smoking.2. Examine whether health literacy interacts with the different types of messages (fact-based vs. emotion-based and gain-framed vs. loss-framed) to influence the primary explicit and implicit outcome measures: a) intention to quit smoking, and b) implicit and explicit attitudes toward smoking. A secondary, exploratory aim is to:3. Examine potential associations between a) the primary explicit and implicit outcomes, and b) the secondary explicit and implicit outcomes: knowledge, risk perception, attitudes, self-efficacy, message evaluations, implicit fear of disease, and implicit associations between smoking and disease.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial requires that you are not currently using nicotine replacement therapy or bupropion. If you are using these, you would need to stop before participating.
Is the health literacy intervention for smoking safe for humans?
The research articles do not provide specific safety data for health literacy interventions like focus groups, questionnaires, pictorial educational tools, or verbal counseling tools. These interventions are generally considered safe as they involve communication and education rather than medical procedures or medications.12345
How is the health literacy intervention for smoking different from other treatments?
This treatment focuses on improving health literacy (understanding health information) related to smoking, which is different from traditional methods that might focus on medication or behavioral therapy. By enhancing a person's ability to understand and use health information, it aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions about smoking cessation.678910
What data supports the effectiveness of this treatment for smoking cessation?
Research shows that low-literacy smokers often underestimate the risks of smoking and need tailored educational materials and counseling to quit effectively. Health literacy interventions, like using pictorial tools and verbal counseling, have been suggested to improve understanding and support smoking cessation, especially in populations with low literacy skills.38111213
Who Is on the Research Team?
Lorna McNeill
Principal Investigator
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for English-speaking smokers aged 18 to 70 who have smoked at least 5 cigarettes daily over the past year. They must have a home address, phone number, and not be using nicotine replacements or enrolled in cessation programs.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Focus Group
Participants complete questionnaires and participate in a focus group to discuss and evaluate smoking risk informational messages
Pilot Testing and Main Study
Participants complete questionnaires, a breath test, and computer-aided tasks to evaluate smoking risk messages
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for understanding and response to smoking health risk informational messages
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Focus Group
- Questionnaire
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lead Sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Collaborator