Text-Message Program effective way to quit smoking in adolescents, unravels JAMA study

The 2-group randomized clinical trial published in the journal JAMA Network indicates that when a targeted, interactive text message intervention was implemented which leads to to increased self-reported vaping cessation rates among those recruited through social media channels.

E-cigarettes are the most popular tobacco product among adolescents. Even though the dangers of nicotine for teens are well known, there are no proven programs to help them quit smoking.

To execute such an intervention a 2-group, double-blind, individually randomized clinical trial was conducted by Amanda L. Graham, PhD, Innovations Center, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC and colleagues, where they recruited 1503 adolescent e-cigarette users via social media ads, with follow-ups at 1 and 7 months after randomization was conducted from October 1, 2021, to October 18, 2023. The intervention was provided through text messages, with assessments completed either online or over the phone.

Participants were U.S. residents aged 13 to 17 who had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, were interested in quitting within the next 30 days and owned a mobile phone with an active texting plan.

All participants received monthly text message assessments regarding their e-cigarette use. The assessment-only control group (n = 744) received only text messages related to study retention.

The main outcome measured was self-reported 30-day abstinence from vaping at 7 months, analyzed using an intention-to-treat approach, where missingness coded as vaping.

The result revealed that:

• The 7-month follow-up rate was 70.8%.
• Point-prevalence abstinence rates were 37.8% among intervention participants and 28.0% among control participants (relative risk, 1.35).

“The text-message program was found to be effective in encouraging teenagers to quit recognizing that this age group is still in a critical growth stage where exposure to tobacco and smoke can negatively impact their development.,” said the researchers.

Reference: Graham AL, Cha S, Jacobs MA, et al. A Vaping Cessation Text Message Program for Adolescent E-Cigarette Users: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. Published online August 07, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.11057