Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation

Overseen By Vinita Devarasetty, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Kansas Medical Center

Must be taking: Varenicline

Must not be taking: Smoking cessation medications

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 12 weeks

20 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new method to help people quit smoking. It uses a text-based program to encourage adherence to quitting methods, such as calling a support hotline and using the medication varenicline, which is known to aid smoking cessation. Researchers aim to determine if this approach helps people stay engaged with their quitting plan. The trial seeks Kansas residents who have smoked at least one cigarette a day in the past month, have a mobile phone capable of receiving texts, and can safely use varenicline. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative smoking cessation strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot be on smoking cessation medication within 2 weeks before starting the trial.

What prior data suggests that this text-based contingency management intervention is safe for smoking cessation?

Research has shown that using rewards to encourage healthy habits, known as contingency management, is generally safe and effective. Studies have found it helps people quit smoking and other habits. For example, when people receive financial rewards for quitting smoking, about 10 out of 100 successfully quit for six months or more. No evidence of serious side effects from this method exists. It has been used safely in various situations, such as weight loss and substance abuse treatment, indicating it is well-tolerated. Therefore, using rewards to help people stop smoking appears safe for most individuals. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Contingency Management approach for smoking cessation because it offers a fresh take on quitting strategies. Unlike traditional methods such as nicotine replacement therapies or behavioral counseling alone, this treatment combines mobile technology with incentives to boost counseling attendance and medication adherence. By rewarding healthy behaviors through a digital platform, it aims to enhance motivation and engagement, potentially leading to higher success rates in quitting smoking.

What evidence suggests that this text-based contingency management intervention is effective for smoking cessation?

Research has shown that contingency management (CM), which uses rewards to help people quit smoking, can significantly reduce smoking. One study found that financial incentives encouraged people to stop smoking by rewarding them for staying smoke-free. Another study demonstrated that CM effectively helps various groups, including veterans, quit smoking. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile CM program, specifically the MedCM plus CounsCM approach, which combines mobile contingency management for counseling attendance and medication intake. Using mobile health tools for CM is also considered a cost-effective way to support quitting. Overall, CM programs have proven effective in helping people stop smoking by offering real rewards for their efforts. ^{2 4 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Kansas residents who smoke at least one cigarette daily, can speak and read English, have a mobile phone that receives texts, are insured for varenicline (a smoking cessation medication), and don't have acute renal impairment or life-threatening illnesses. Participants must have smoked in the past 30 days.

Inclusion Criteria

I have smoked within the last 30 days.

I live in Kansas.

I have access to a mobile phone.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a text-based contingency management intervention to increase engagement in quitline calls and varenicline utilization

12 weeks

Text-based intervention

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for engagement in quitline calls and varenicline utilization

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• CounCM+MedCM (Health Rewards)

Trial Overview The study tests a text-based contingency management intervention designed to increase engagement with quitline counseling and use of varenicline. All participants will be referred to a state quitline, receive medication prescriptions, and undergo 12 weeks of the intervention.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: MedCM plus CounsCM Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Mobile Contingency Management for counseling attendance and medication intake

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Kansas Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

527

Recruited

181,000+

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Collaborator

Trials

2,658

Recruited

3,409,000+

University of Oklahoma

Collaborator

Trials

484

Recruited

95,900+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5020416/

Prize Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation Our findings reveal that prize CM leads to significant reductions in smoking during treatment relative to a control intervention, but the benefits did not ...

2. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2820672

Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation Among ... Contingency management, the tangible reinforcement of abstinence and related outcomes, is effective for promoting drug and alcohol abstinence ...

3. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39799985/

Incentives for smoking cessation Objectives: Primary To assess the long-term effects of incentives and contingency management programmes for smoking cessation in mixed and ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523002024

Mobile health contingency management for smoking ... Contingency management (CM) may be a cost-effective way to maximize smoking cessation efficacy among veterans experiencing homelessness. CM is a behavioral ...

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01040260

Low-Cost Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation The participants in Study Arm 1 received the contingency management intervention for 8 weeks, and the participants in Study Arm 2 had their smoking status ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9514803/

Mobile Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation ... This automated CM approach will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial of 532 low-income adults seeking cessation treatment. Participants will be ...

7. cochranelibrary.com cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004307.pub7/abstract

Incentives for smoking cessation - Notley, C - 2025 For every 100 people who received financial incentives, 10 people were likely to successfully quit smoking at six months or longer, compared to ...

8. legislativeanalysis.org legislativeanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Contingency-Management-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

Contingency Management Fact Sheet Research shows that contingency management works in many contexts, such as in promoting weight loss and smoking cessation. Studies in the 1990s demonstrated ...