Text Messaging-Based Smoking Cessation Program for Homeless Youth

RanD

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2; Phase 1

Conditions: Cigarette Smoking

Treatments: Behavioral: Group counseling, nicotine replacement, and text messaging support; Behavioral: Group counseling and nicotine replacement

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03874585

27IP-0051

Details and patient eligibility

About

Unaccompanied homeless youth smoke at much higher rates than non-homeless adolescents and young adults. Many homeless youth smokers are motivated to quit; yet, strategies specifically developed for this vulnerable population are lacking. This study will develop and pilot test a text messaging intervention (also known as a TMI) to help homeless youth quit smoking. Text messaging can provide ongoing support for homeless youth during a quit attempt, which is important given that these youth tend to be highly mobile and lack regular access to health services. Participants in this study will be homeless youth who currently smoke and are motivated to quit smoking. All participants will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session and a nicotine replacement product. Half of these smokers will also receive the TMI, for 6 weeks following the group counseling session, which will provide ongoing support for quitting. The main goal of this study is to investigate whether receiving the TMI results in greater reductions in cigarette smoking over a 3-month period compared to receiving the group counseling session alone.

Enrollment: 77 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• between ages of 18-25
• seeking services at one of the participating drop-in centers for homeless youth
• smoked at least 5 cigarettes per day on at least 20 days in the past month
• motivated to quit in next 30 days
• has a cell phone to receive text messages and willing to receive text messages

Exclusion criteria

• currently pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed in the next 6 months
• has a medical condition (based on self-report) which would prevent using the nicotine replacement product
• used pharmacotherapy to reduce or stop smoking in the past 30 days
• currently receiving other smoking cessation services

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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77 participants in 2 patient groups

Standard Condition

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the standard condition will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session based on the 5 A's approach (Ask; Advise; Assess; Assist; Arrange) and free nicotine replacement.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group counseling and nicotine replacement

Enhanced Condition

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the standard condition will receive a 30-minute group-based smoking cessation counseling session based on the 5 A's approach (Ask; Advise; Assess; Assist; Arrange), free nicotine replacement, and the 6-week text messaging intervention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group counseling, nicotine replacement, and text messaging support