Assessing efficacy of a web-based smoking cessation tool - QuitAdvisorMD: Protocol for a practice-based, clustered,...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Interventions
• Public Health
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Smoking is a leading preventable cause of death.
• Physician smoking cessation counseling is inconsistent.
• Digital tools can enhance counseling delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of QuitAdvisorMD, a web-based tool, in improving smoking cessation counseling.
• To evaluate the impact of QuitAdvisorMD on the frequency and quality of counseling.
• To determine the effect of the tool on patient quit rates.

Main Methods:

• A practice-based, clustered randomized controlled trial.
• Practices randomized to intervention (QuitAdvisorMD) or control groups.
• Primary outcome: frequency and quality of clinician-initiated counseling; Secondary outcomes: physician knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and patient quit attempts.

Main Results:

• The study protocol is presented to evaluate QuitAdvisorMD's efficacy.
• Data analysis will compare outcomes between intervention and control groups.
• Results will inform the integration of digital tools in smoking cessation support.

Conclusions:

• QuitAdvisorMD has the potential to enhance smoking cessation counseling in primary care.
• The study will provide insights into improving counseling quality and efficacy.
• Findings will guide the implementation of digital health solutions for tobacco cessation.