Randomized controlled trial of an interactive internet smoking cessation program with long-term follow-up

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Interventions
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Internet-based smoking cessation programs are prevalent.
• Limited controlled studies confirm their long-term effectiveness.
• Assessing long-term efficacy is crucial for public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 13-month effectiveness of a structured Internet smoking cessation program.
• To investigate the influence of depressed affect on program outcomes.
• To provide evidence for digital health interventions in smoking cessation.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial comparing an Internet program to a control website.
• 1,106 participants in the treatment condition and 1,047 in the control.
• 13-month follow-up assessing 30-day point prevalence abstinence.

Main Results:

• The Internet program yielded significantly higher abstinence rates (12.9%) than the control (10.1%) at 13 months.
• Effectiveness was notably greater for participants without depressed affect (15.0% vs. 10.1%).
• No significant difference in abstinence was observed for participants reporting depressed affect.

Conclusions:

• The structured Internet intervention demonstrates long-term efficacy for smoking cessation.
• The program is particularly effective for individuals not experiencing daily depressed affect.
• Findings support the use of digital health tools in public health strategies for smoking cessation.