Smoking Cessation Strategies for Different Types of Cigarette Users Using a Digital Peer-Supported App and Nicotine...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Smoking cessation programs in Japan face challenges with low success rates.
• Digital interventions combined with nicotine replacement therapy show promise.
• The impact of different tobacco product types on cessation program effectiveness is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare smoking cessation success rates across cigarette-only smokers, heated tobacco product (HTP)-only users, and dual users.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a group-based intervention combining nicotine replacement therapy and a digital peer support app.
• To determine if tobacco product type influences the success of digital smoking cessation interventions.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving smartphone-owning smokers from Japanese workplaces.
• Participants received nicotine replacement therapy and access to a peer support app facilitating anonymous group chats.
• Logistic regression analysis compared cessation success rates between cigarette-only smokers, HTP-only users, and dual smokers.

Main Results:

• Heated tobacco product (HTP)-only users had significantly higher cessation success rates than cigarette-only smokers (OR 1.84).
• Dual smokers showed a nonsignificantly lower cessation success rate compared to cigarette-only smokers (OR 0.96).
• The study included 435 participants: 163 cigarette-only, 218 HTP-only, and 54 dual smokers.

Conclusions:

• Digital peer-supported smoking cessation programs are more effective for HTP-only users than cigarette-only smokers.
• No significant difference in cessation success was observed for dual users.
• Tailoring workplace cessation programs based on tobacco product type is crucial for improving outcomes.