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Twitter-enabled Mobile Messaging for Smoking Relapse Prevention

This study is not yet open for participant recruitment.
Verified May 2012 by University of California, Irvine
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Cornelia Pechmann, University of California, Irvine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01602536
First received: May 17, 2012
Last updated: May 21, 2012
Last verified: May 2012
History of Changes
  Purpose

In Phase I (first 12 months), consistent with Aim 1, we have developed a treatment protocol for smoking cessation and relapse prevention that uses virtual quit-smoking Twitter groups and Twitter-enabled interactive peer messaging. We are in the process of testing and refining this protocol using 40 participants in 2 quit-smoking Twitter groups. In Phase II (24 months), consistent with Aim 2, we will conduct a two-condition (test vs. control) randomized controlled trial of the treatment protocol created in Phase I. This research will provide crucial pilot data about the viability and methodology of a larger randomized controlled trial that would directly measure smoking behavior.


Condition Intervention
Smoking
 Behavioral: quit smoking twitter group social support intervention

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Prevention
Official Title: Twitter-enabled Mobile Messaging for Smoking Relapse Prevention

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by University of California, Irvine:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • 7-day point prevalence abstinence from smoking at 30 days after the quit date [ Time Frame: 30 days after quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • * 7-day point prevalence abstinence from smoking at 7 and 60 days after quit date [ Time Frame: 7 days and 60 days after quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 280
Study Start Date: July 2012
Estimated Study Completion Date: December 2013
Estimated Primary Completion Date: December 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: quit smoking twitter group
We form 20-person virtual quit smoking groups and instruct the group members to tweet each other (send short messages) using Twitter.
 Behavioral: quit smoking twitter group social support intervention
All participants will receive 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, referral to the NCI's online Smokefree.gov Quit Guide, and instruction to set a quit date within 8 days of study start. Participants will also be randomly assigned at the individual level to one of two conditions: (1) a virtual quit-smoking Twitter group condition where the group members are instructed to use Twitter-enabled interactive peer messaging to help them quit and stay quit, or (2) a control group condition where the group members are not given this instruction or a Twitter group.

Detailed Description:

Smoking relapse rates remain high, innovative strategies are needed to lower them, and web-based social networking may help like Twitter. This developmental research examines whether providing virtual (web-based) social support to smokers, through Twitter-enabled interactive peer texting, can help smokers quit and avoid relapses. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service, one of the most advanced and novel technologies available today that can provide social support to smokers, and it is the only service that provides free texting to groups. It is global and has many features that are associated with treatment success including interactive, multi-way, live messaging and mobile accessibility, because the messages go instantly to mobile phones and to the web. It can provide an innovative way to reach smokers who might otherwise not seek treatment, and it can be extended to other health domains.

In Phase II which will start July 1, 2012, we will conduct a two-condition randomized controlled trial (Aim 2). All participants (N=240) will receive 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, referral to the NCI's online Smokefree.gov Quit Guide, and instruction to set a quit date within 8 days of study start. In this Phase II trial, participants will also be randomly assigned at the individual level to one of two conditions: (1) a virtual quit-smoking Twitter group condition where the group members are instructed to use Twitter-enabled interactive peer messaging to help them quit and stay quit, or (2) a control group condition where the group members are not given this instruction or a Twitter group. There will be 6 Twitter groups and 6 control groups with 20 smokers randomly assigned to each group (i.e., N=120 test, N=120 control). The primary outcomes will be self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 7, 30 and 60 days after the quit date. Participants' tweets, their virtual and face-to-face social networks, and several other mediating and moderating variables will also be analyzed.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 59 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • must have smoked 100 cigarettes during their lifetime
  • must currently smoke 5 or more cigarettes a day
  • must be in the preparation stage of quitting smoking
  • ages 18-59 years
  • English speaking
  • have a mobile phone with an unlimited texting plan and internet access
  • use text messaging at least once a week
  • use Facebook daily
  • have an active email account
  • live in the continental USA

Exclusion Criteria:

  • a medical condition that is contra-indicated for nicotine replacement therapy:
  • pregnant
  • breast feeding
  • a recent heart attack
  • an irregular heartbeat
  • high blood pressure not controlled with medication
  • skin allergies to adhesive tape or serious skin problems
  • taking a prescription medicine for depression unless it is adjusted
  • use drugs or marijuana regularly
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01602536

Contacts
Contact: Doug Calder, BA (949) 798-9647 dcalder@uci.edu
Contact: Cornelia Pechmann, PhD 949-824-4058 cpechman@uci.edu

Locations
United States, California
University of California Irvine Not yet recruiting
Irvine, California, United States, 92697
Contact: Doug Calder, BA     949-798-9647     dcalder@uci.edu    
Contact: Cornelia Pechmann, PhD     949-824-4058     cpechman@uci.edu    
Principal Investigator: Cornelia Pechmann, PhD, MS, MBA            
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of California, Irvine
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Cornelia Pechmann, PhD University of California, Irvine
  More Information

Additional Information:
tweet2quit website  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Cornelia Pechmann, Principal Investigator, University of California, Irvine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01602536     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 1R34DA030538-01A1
Study First Received: May 17, 2012
Last Updated: May 21, 2012
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

Keywords provided by University of California, Irvine:
twitter
quit smoking
smoking cessation
social media
peer support

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Smoking
Habits

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 19, 2013