NCT04001972

Interactive Communication Technologies and Nicotine Replacement Therapy Sampling for Smokers

Intervention Combining Interactive Communication Technologies and Nicotine Replacement Therapy Sampling for Proactively Recruited Smokers in Smoking Hotspots: a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 664 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Brief advice combined with active referral to smoking cessation (SC) services increases quitting. We aim to strengthen the effect of combined intervention by using interactive communication technologies and nicotine replacement therapy sampling (NRT-S).

Detailed description

Objectives: Brief advice combined with active referral to smoking cessation (SC) services increases quitting. We aim to strengthen the effect of combined intervention by using interactive communication technologies and nicotine replacement therapy sampling (NRT-S). Design and subjects: Pragmatic, individual randomized controlled trial in 664 daily smokers proactively recruited in smoking hotspots in Hong Kong. Interventions: Subjects in the Intervention group will receive face-to-face brief advice (including SC services referral) using AWARD model and 1-week free NRT sample (NRT-S) at baseline; and 12-week personalized behavioral support using interactive communication technologies (include regular tailored messages on abstinence, and synchronous IM Apps \[e.g. WhatsApp\] conversation with trained SC advisors and a Chatbot). Subjects in the Control group will receive the same AWARD advice without NRT-S at baseline, and regular short-message-service messages on general health and reminders to participate in follow-up. Main outcome measures: Primary outcomes are carbon monoxide validated smoking abstinence at 6-month and 12-month. Secondary outcomes include self-reported past 7-day abstinence, smoking reduction, quit attempt, SC services use, NRT use, self-efficacy on quitting and quality of life. Data analysis: Intention-to-treat and cost-effectiveness analyses will be conducted. Mediation analyses will explore the underlying mechanisms of Chatbot and IM Apps behavioral support to promote quitting. Individual interviews with quitters and non-quitters, and content analysis of Chatbot/IM Apps will be conducted to have in-depth understanding on the effects of intervention on various outcomes. Expected results: The Intervention group will have statistically significant higher validated smoking abstinence rates than the Control group at 6-month and 12-month.

Conditions

• Smoking Cessation
• Tobacco Use Cessation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Brief advice (AWARD model)	Ask: smoking habit, quit intention and attempt, smoking reduction intention, previous quitting experience including NRT and SC use. Warn: smokers will be orally warned about the harms of smoking and receive a A5-sized leaflet, which includes some shocking pictures of smoking-related diseases, and SC services information. Advise: smokers will be advised to quit as soon as possible and use NRT or SC services. Refer: smokers will be encouraged to seek SC services for free NRT or other SC services. Those who agreed will be actively referred to their preferred SC services. The collected contact information with consent will be sent to the SC services providers for a quick appointment and follow-up. Do-it-again: Relapsed smokers (identified during follow-ups and IM conversation) will receive the "Advise" and "Refer" intervention.
DRUG	NRT-S	One-week free NRT (gum or patch) will be provided with dosage based on time to first cigarette smoking after waking up in the morning and previous NRT use (standard practice and according to specific NRT product instructions). Subjects who have first cigarette \<30 minutes in the morning or have previously used NRT, will receive 4mg nicotine gum or 21mg nicotine patch. Those who have first cigarette \>30 minutes after waking up and have not previously used NRT will receive 2mg nicotine gum or 14mg nicotine patch. NRT use and potential side effects will be briefly explained orally based on standardized script according to the product instructions. An NRT use card containing reminders of NRT use and potential side effects will be given.
BEHAVIORAL	IM Apps and Chatbot	Twelve-week personalized behavioral support will be delivered using interactive communication technologies using (1) regular tailored messages on abstinence, and (2) synchronous IM Apps conversation with trained SC advisors, and (3) a Chatbot: A Chatbot will be built using open source NLP and machine intelligence platforms. The unstructured text data from our previous study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03182790) will be used to train the proposed Chatbot. We will draft responses for each identified question. The final version will be incorporated with Application Programming Interface (API) integration into user-friendly apps (iOS/Android/web app) with a backend server support and continuous data collection for potential bigdata analysis.
BEHAVIORAL	Regular SMS message	Regular SMS messages focus on general health and remind the importance of participating in the follow-up surveys and biochemical validation for quitting

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-19
• Primary completion: 2021-05-08
• Completion: 2021-09-30
• First posted: 2019-06-28
• Last updated: 2022-05-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Hong Kong