Development of Chatbot-Assisted Smoking Cessation Telehealth Intervention: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Tobacco use remains a significant preventable public health issue in the US.
• It is linked to severe health problems, including cardiovascular disease, lung issues, mental health conditions, and various cancers.
• Effective interventions are crucial for supporting tobacco cessation efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel chatbot-assisted smoking cessation telehealth intervention for adults.
• To assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of this digital health approach.

Main Methods:

• The intervention utilized rule-based chatbots integrated with motivational interviewing principles.
• A case report methodology was employed to describe the development and initial evaluation.
• Data were collected from four adult participants undergoing the intervention.

Main Results:

• Participants showed varied changes in motivation, nicotine dependency, and confidence to quit.
• A majority of participants successfully engaged with chatbot-suggested strategies for managing tobacco cravings.
• Chatbot assistance demonstrated potential benefits in supporting cessation behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Chatbot-assisted telehealth interventions are feasible and show potential for smoking cessation.
• This digital health approach may offer advantages in helping individuals manage tobacco cravings.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm efficacy and generalizability.