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A randomized controlled evaluation of the tobacco status project, a Facebook intervention for young adults
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.1111/add.14245Abstract
Aims
To test the efficacy of the Tobacco Status Project (TSP) Facebook smoking cessation intervention for young adults relative to referral to an on-line program on biochemically verified 7-day abstinence from smoking.Design
Two-group parallel randomized controlled trial, comparing TSP (n = 251) to on-line control (n = 249) with follow-up to 12 months.Setting
On-line, throughout the United States.Participants
Young adult cigarette smokers (mean age 21 years; 73% white, 55% female, 87% daily smokers).Interventions and comparator
TSP provided private Facebook groups tailored to stage of change to quit smoking, daily contacts, weekly live counseling sessions, and for those ready to quit, six cognitive behavioral therapy counseling sessions. Some TSP groups were assigned randomly to receive a monetary incentive for engagement. Control provided referral to the National Cancer Institute Smokefree.gov website.Measurements
PRIMARY OUTCOME: Biochemically verified 7-day abstinence over 12 months.Secondary outcomes
Post-treatment (3-month) abstinence; reported abstinence, quit attempt, reduction in smoking, readiness to quit smoking over 12 months.Findings
Verified 7-day abstinence was not significantly different for intervention compared with control over 1 year: month 3 (8.3 versus 3.2%), 6 (6.2 versus 6.0%), and 12 (5.9 versus 10.0%); odds ratio (OR) = 1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.23, 4.97; retention = 71%. There was an effect at 3 months (OR = 2.52; CI = 1.56, 4.04; P < 0.0001). There were no 12-month treatment effects for reported abstinence (P = 0.746), reduction in smoking by 50% or more (P = 0.533), likelihood of having made a quit attempt (P = 0.387) or stage of change over time (0.968). Participants in TSP engaged more and rated the intervention more favorably than those in the control condition.Conclusions
Compared with referral to a smoking cessation website, a novel USA-focused Facebook smoking cessation intervention did not improve abstinence from smoking over 1 year, but increased abstinence at the end of treatment and was engaging to participants.Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.
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