A WeChat-based smoking cessation intervention for Chinese smokers: A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• China faces a significant burden from tobacco use, necessitating innovative cessation strategies.
• Social media platforms, particularly WeChat, offer a promising avenue for delivering smoking cessation interventions.
• This study evaluated a WeChat-based intervention, assessing its efficacy and the added benefit of oral health information.

Discussion:

• The WeChat intervention demonstrated overall effectiveness in aiding smoking cessation.
• The inclusion of oral health messages did not yield statistically significant improvements compared to the standard intervention.
• Nicotine dependence scores significantly decreased in both intervention groups versus the control.

Key Insights:

• A tailored, Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-guided smoking cessation program delivered via WeChat is effective.
• Nicotine dependence reduction was observed in both standard and enhanced intervention groups.
• Adding oral health information to the WeChat intervention did not provide additional cessation benefits.

Outlook:

• Further research can explore optimizing WeChat intervention content and delivery for enhanced smoking cessation outcomes.
• Investigating the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of digital smoking cessation tools is warranted.
• Tailoring digital interventions to specific cultural contexts and user needs may improve engagement and efficacy.