Develop a personalised serious game applet for smoking cessation: protocol for enterprise-based cluster randomised...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable death globally, necessitating innovative cessation strategies.
• The burgeoning game market presents opportunities for developing engaging digital interventions.
• Existing interventions like SMS-based programs show promise but may benefit from enhanced personalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a personalized Serious Game Applet for smoking cessation.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Serious Game Applet compared to SMS interventions.
• To leverage integrated theoretical frameworks (TTM-PMT-HAPA) for tailored intervention design.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase approach: first, game applet development using the TTM-PMT-HAPA framework; second, a multicenter, cluster randomized controlled trial.
• Enrollment of 1320 daily smokers (aged 18-45) in non-tobacco enterprises with CO levels ≥6 ppm.
• Randomization of enterprises to either the Serious Game Applet or SMS control group, with single-blind assessment.

Main Results:

• Primary outcomes include smoking abstinence rates at 3 and 6 months post-intervention.
• Secondary outcomes assess cessation at multiple time points, changes in consumption, nicotine dependence, and withdrawal symptoms.
• The trial is a field study conducted in three cities in Fujian Province, China, targeting smartphone users.

Conclusions:

• The study protocol outlines a novel approach to smoking cessation using personalized gaming technology.
• Findings will inform the development and implementation of digital health interventions for tobacco control.
• The research aims to contribute evidence on the efficacy of theory-based serious games in public health.