E-cigarette support for smoking cessation: Identifying the effectiveness of intervention components in an on-line...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Smoking cessation remains a significant public health challenge.
• E-cigarettes are increasingly used by smokers attempting to quit.
• Optimizing online interventions is crucial for widespread accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify effective combinations of online intervention components for smoking cessation using e-cigarettes.
• To evaluate the impact of five distinct intervention elements on quit attempt success.
• To apply the Multi-Phase Optimization Strategy (MOST) to intervention design.

Main Methods:

• A 5-factor, 32-combination online randomized factorial design was employed.
• 1214 participants were recruited via social media for the study.
• Intervention components included tailored advice on device, nicotine, and flavor, harm information, and SMS support.

Main Results:

• A significant two-way interaction was found between tailored flavor advice and SMS support.
• This combination increased the odds of 4-week complete abstinence at 12 weeks (OR=1.55).
• No individual intervention components showed significant main effects on smoking cessation.

Conclusions:

• Tailored e-liquid flavor advice coupled with text message support is a promising intervention strategy.
• This specific combination enhances the likelihood of successful smoking cessation among e-cigarette users.
• Further research into optimized digital interventions for smoking cessation is warranted.