SMS Turkey: Harnessing the Power of Text Messaging to Promote Smoking Cessation

Center for Innovative Public Health Research

Status

Completed

Conditions

Smoking

Treatments

Behavioral: SMS Turkey

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00912795

ISK-NIH-FIC7918

5R01TW007918 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to develop and test a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for adults who are currently smoking and want to quit, living in Turkey.

Full description

Smoking has long been recognized as a significant public health concern associated with great morbidity and mortality. Although smoking rates have decreased in high income countries, these trends have not been noted for tow and middle income countries. This is especially true in Turkey, which was ranked 6th in the world in smoking consumption. Between 51-63% of Turkish men and 24-26% of Turkish women 15 years of age and older are smokers. With lung cancer the leading cancer-related cause of death for both men and women, effective and accessible smoking cessation interventions are needed. Cell phone technology represents a unique opportunity to deliver evidenced-based smoking cessation behavioral treatments through a delivery mechanism already widely adopted by adults. An estimated 35 million Turks were using cell phones, making them 1.8 times more common than land lines. Cell phone interventions are a unique delivery method because of their 'always on' capability. The rapid uptake of cell phones allows us to potentially reach those who might otherwise not utilize smoking cessation services.

We designed and evaluated SMS Turkey, an evidenced-based smoking intervention that takes advantage of technologies adopted by adult smokers in Turkey. The primary outcome measure is sustained abstinence 12 weeks after quit day, confirmed with a carbon monoxide (CO) reading of 8 ppm or less. Sustained abstinence was defined as 5 or fewer cigarettes smoked since the quit date, per West et al. Secondary outcome measures included: 7-day and 30-day point prevalence of smoking behavior at 3 months; CO-verified 7-day point prevalence at 4 weeks; and reduction in cigarettes per day for those who are smoking at 3 months.

Enrollment

151 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

18 years of age or older
Currently smoking every day
Owning a TXT-capable cell phone
Sent or received TXT messages at least once in the past year
Living in Ankara (to ease technology support if necessary)
Agreement to set quit day in 15 days from enrollment date
Agreement to verification of smoking cessation using a carbon monoxide breath monitor

Exclusion criteria

• No chronic disease.