Automated e-mail messaging as a tool for improving quit rates in an internet smoking cessation intervention - PubMed (original) (raw)

Comparative Study

. 2004 Jul-Aug;11(4):235-40.

doi: 10.1197/jamia.M1464. Epub 2004 Apr 2.

Affiliations

Comparative Study

Automated e-mail messaging as a tool for improving quit rates in an internet smoking cessation intervention

Leslie Lenert et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2004 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether an automated e-mail messaging system that sent individually timed educational messages (ITEMs) increased the effectiveness of an Internet smoking cessation intervention.

Design: Using two consecutive series of participants, the authors compared two Web-based self-help style smoking cessation interventions: a single-point-in-time educational intervention and an enhanced intervention that also sent ITEMs timed to participants' quit efforts. Outcomes were compared in 199 participants receiving the one-time intervention and 286 receiving ITEMs.

Measurements: Demographic factors, number of cigarettes smoked, nicotine addiction, depressive symptoms, and confidence in ability to quit were measured at entry. Twenty-four-hour quit attempts and seven-day point-prevalence of abstinence (nonrespondents assumed to smoke) were measured 30 days after each subject's self-selected quit date.

Results: The one-time and ITEMs groups differed in some demographics and some relapse risk factors but not in factors associated with 30-day quit rates. ITEMs appeared to increase the rate at which individuals set quit dates (97% vs. 91%, p = 0.005) and, among the respondents to follow-up questionnaires (n = 145), the rate of reported 24-hour quit efforts (83% vs. 54%, p = 0.001). The 30-day intent-to-treat quit rates were higher in the ITEMs group: 7.5% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.035. In multivariate analyses controlling for differences between groups, receiving ITEMs was associated with an increase in the odds ratio for quitting of 2.6 (95% confidence interval = 1.3-5.3).

Conclusion: ITEMs sent on strategic days in smokers' quit efforts enhanced early success with smoking cessation relative to a single-point-in-time Web intervention. The effect appears to be mediated by ITEMs' causing smokers to plan and undertake quit efforts more frequently.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Prochaska JO, Velicer WF, Fava JL, Rossi JS, Tsoh JY. Evaluating a population-based recruitment approach and a stage-based expert system intervention for smoking cessation. Addict Behav. 2001;26:583–602. - PubMed
    1. Shiffman S, Paty JA, Rohay JM, Di Marino ME, Gitchell J. The efficacy of computer-tailored smoking cessation material as a supplement to nicotine polacrilex gum therapy. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:1675–81. - PubMed
    1. Etter JF, Perneger TV. Effectiveness of a computer-tailored smoking cessation program: a randomized trial. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:2596–601. - PubMed
    1. Parker-Pope T. Getting smober: smokers seeking to quit find some help on the web. Wall Street J 22April2003. Available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB10509630285129500,00.html. Accessed Apr 30, 2004.
    1. Bessell TL, McDonald S, Silagy CA, Anderson JN, Hiller JE, Sansom LN. Do Internet interventions for consumers cause more harm than good? A systematic review. Health Expect. 2002;5(1):28–37. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources