Smartphone App for Smoking Cessation

Overseen By Jennifer Minnix

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: Medical condition, Psychiatric disorder, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 8 weeks

24 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial studies how well two smartphone apps, KickAsh and Breathe2Relax, help smokers with depressive symptoms quit smoking. KickAsh teaches relaxation skills, and Breathe2Relax improves mood and encourages fun activities. KickAsh combines methods from various approaches to help smokers quit.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if any medication could compromise your safety or treatment, the Principal Investigator may decide it's necessary.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Smartphone Mobile Application for smoking cessation?

Research shows that smartphone apps can provide real-time, personalized support to help people quit smoking by sending tailored messages based on their risk of smoking again. These apps are increasingly used worldwide, indicating their potential effectiveness in helping people stop smoking. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the smartphone app for smoking cessation safe to use?

The research does not provide specific safety data for the smartphone app for smoking cessation, but it suggests that these apps are generally used to support quitting smoking by providing tailored messages and tracking tools. ^{4 5 6 7 8}

How is the smartphone app for smoking cessation different from other treatments?

This smartphone app for smoking cessation is unique because it provides real-time, personalized messages based on the user's current risk of smoking relapse and specific triggers, offering tailored support throughout the day. ^{3 4 5 7 9}

Research Team

Jennifer A. Minnix

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking MD Anderson patients aged 18-65 who smoke daily, own an iOS device with regular app usage, and are willing to set a quit date within 30 days. They must have smoked for at least a year and either currently have or previously had depressive symptoms. People can't join if they're in another smoking cessation program or have health issues that make the study unsafe for them.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a patient at MD Anderson, aged between 18 and 65.

I am willing to commit to quitting smoking within the next 30 days.

Not engaged in smoking cessation treatment other than the MDACC Tobacco Treatment Program

Exclusion Criteria

I don't have any health or mental conditions that could make the treatment unsafe for me.

Subject considered by the investigator an unsuitable candidate for receipt of a smoking cessation treatment or unstable to be followed up throughout the entire duration of the study

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either the KickAsh or Breathe2Relax smartphone mobile application designed to help with smoking cessation over 8 weeks

8 weeks

Regular phone calls and interviews

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in activity level, mood, and smoking abstinence

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Smartphone Mobile Application

Trial Overview The study is testing how effective smartphone apps are in helping smokers quit. Participants will use these apps as part of their smoking cessation treatment to see if it enhances their ability to stop smoking.

Participant Groups

Group I: Group II (Breathe2Relax smartphone mobile application) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants receive Breathe2Relax smartphone mobile application designed to help improve mood and increase level of enjoyable activities over 8 weeks.

Group II: Group I (KickAsh smartphone mobile application) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants receive KickAsh smartphone mobile application designed to help the learning of relaxation skills over 8 weeks.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Findings from Research

A study involving 181 participants found that most users rated the smoking cessation app QuitPal-m as very helpful, but daily usage declined over time, indicating a need for ongoing support to maintain engagement.

The effectiveness of the app was enhanced by supportive accountability from cessation counselors, particularly for smokers with low motivation to quit, highlighting the importance of addressing both personal barriers and technical issues to improve app usage.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supportive Accountability and Mobile App Use in a Tobacco Control Intervention Targeting Low-Income Minority Mothers Who Smoke: Observational Study. Lepore, SJ., Collins, BN., Killam, HW., et al.[2023]

The STaR smartphone application for smoking cessation received an average quality score of 3.31 and a compliance score of 2.50 on a 5-point scale, indicating it meets some but not all quality standards for smoking cessation support.

The app effectively incorporates key components of smoking cessation guidelines, including the 5A and 5R approaches, suggesting that enhancing its content could further improve its effectiveness in helping users quit smoking.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment of content, quality and compliance of the STaR mobile application for smoking cessation. Regmi, K., Kassim, N., Ahmad, NH., et al.[2020]

Smartphone applications for smoking cessation have been shown to increase quit rates among smokers, particularly when users engage with features like audiovisual content, quit plans, and progress tracking.

While these apps can help reduce relapse rates, the effectiveness varies based on how well users adhere to the app's features, indicating that user engagement is crucial for success.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Smoking Cessation: A Review. Regmi, K., Kassim, N., Ahmad, N., et al.[2020]

A smartphone app designed for smoking cessation effectively assessed real-time risk for smoking lapses and provided tailored messages, leading to greater reductions in smoking urges, stress, and cigarette availability among participants (N=59) over a 3-week period.

Messages specifically tailored to individual triggers, such as smoking urges and stress, were more effective in reducing those triggers compared to generic messages, suggesting that personalized interventions can enhance smoking cessation efforts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An ecological momentary intervention for smoking cessation: The associations of just-in-time, tailored messages with lapse risk factors. Hébert, ET., Stevens, EM., Frank, SG., et al.[2022]

A study of 955 Dutch smokers and ex-smokers found that the intention to use a smoking cessation app is strongly influenced by the number of previous quit attempts and the level of nicotine dependence, rather than demographic factors like age or education.

Personal innovativeness also plays a significant role in users' attitudes toward cessation apps, indicating that app design should focus on addressing the specific needs and experiences of potential users to enhance engagement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of Users for a Smoking Cessation Mobile App: Quantitative Study. Chevalking, SKL., Ben Allouch, S., Brusse-Keizer, M., et al.[2019]

A study of 252 smoking cessation apps for iPhone and 148 for Android revealed that popular apps generally have low adherence to U.S. Public Health Service guidelines, scoring an average of only 12.9 out of 42 on the Adherence Index.

None of the apps recommended calling a quitline, and only 4.1% suggested using approved medications, indicating a significant gap in evidence-based support for users trying to quit smoking.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A content analysis of popular smartphone apps for smoking cessation. Abroms, LC., Lee Westmaas, J., Bontemps-Jones, J., et al.[2022]

Out of 651 smartphone apps analyzed for smoking cessation, only 15 were focused specifically on this goal, with a majority categorized as calendars or information tools.

The evaluated apps showed a low adherence to established smoking cessation guidelines, with a mean score of only 12.8, indicating a need for improvement and the development of future apps based on evidence-based practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A review of smartphone apps for smoking cessation available in Portuguese. Formagini, TD., Ervilha, RR., Machado, NM., et al.[2018]

Mobile health applications are effective tools for helping individuals change their smoking habits, as they provide counseling and motivation for smoking cessation.

The review analyzed 12 studies that highlighted four different technological approaches, demonstrating the versatility and potential of mobile devices in supporting smokers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Smoking Cessation: Services and Applications for Mobile Devices. Kefaliakos, A., Pliakos, I., Chardalias, K., et al.[2018]

References

1. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supportive Accountability and Mobile App Use in a Tobacco Control Intervention Targeting Low-Income Minority Mothers Who Smoke: Observational Study. [2023]

2. Greece pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment of content, quality and compliance of the STaR mobile application for smoking cessation. [2020]

3. Greece pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Smoking Cessation: A Review. [2020]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An ecological momentary intervention for smoking cessation: The associations of just-in-time, tailored messages with lapse risk factors. [2022]

5. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of Users for a Smoking Cessation Mobile App: Quantitative Study. [2019]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What Do People Want in a Smoking Cessation App? An Analysis of User Reviews and App Quality. [2022]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A content analysis of popular smartphone apps for smoking cessation. [2022]

8. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A review of smartphone apps for smoking cessation available in Portuguese. [2018]

9. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Smoking Cessation: Services and Applications for Mobile Devices. [2018]