A community pharmacist-led smoking cessation intervention using a smartphone app (PharmQuit): A randomized controlled
Narong Asayut1, Phayom Sookaneknun Olson2, Juntip Kanjanasilp3
1Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang Sub-District, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand.
Plos One
|March 29, 2022
Summary
Mobile technology, PharmQuit, enhanced smoking cessation services provided by community pharmacists. While PharmQuit did not improve abstinence rates compared to standard care, it showed potential for better program adherence.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Digital Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for mobile technology integration to broaden access to smoking cessation interventions.
- Community pharmacists play a crucial role in delivering smoking cessation support.
- Evaluating novel digital tools alongside traditional pharmacy services is essential for optimizing cessation outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of PharmQuit, a mobile health application, when used by community pharmacists to deliver smoking cessation services.
- To compare the continuous abstinence rates and secondary outcomes of smoking cessation between participants using PharmQuit and those receiving standard care.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 156 adult smokers in Thailand.
- Participants were assigned to either the intervention group (standard care plus PharmQuit) or the control group (standard care only).
- Both groups received 6 months of smoking cessation services, including pharmacotherapy and counseling, with follow-up assessments at regular intervals.
Main Results:
- Both intervention and control groups demonstrated significant improvements in smoking cessation rates and reduced daily cigarette consumption.
- No statistically significant difference in continuous abstinence rates was observed between the PharmQuit intervention group and the standard care group.
- The intervention group exhibited a higher adherence rate to the smoking cessation program compared to the control group.
Conclusions:
- Community pharmacists are valuable in delivering smoking cessation services.
- While PharmQuit did not significantly enhance smoking cessation rates over standard care, its integration may improve participant adherence to cessation programs.
- Further research could explore optimizing mobile health interventions within community pharmacy settings.
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