Cigarette smoking remains one of the greatest sources of morbidity and preventable death. Most smokers (70%) report wanting to quit. The FDA approved 7 cessation aids including nicotine replacement products (gum, lozenges, patch, nasal spray, and inhaler) and non-nicotine medications (bupropion, varenicline) which can be used alone or in combination. Despite the availability of these cost-effective, evidence-based cessation aids, their use among smokers is suboptimal. Healthcare providers report barriers to assisting patients to quit smoking;thus, tools that increase consumer demand for evidence-based aids are also needed. General information (text) about cessation aid options is widely available, but no tools exist to help smokers navigate the choices. There is no gold standard for matching smokers to cessation aids, and choosing the """"""""best"""""""" aid requires consideration of many medical and personal factors. Finding no publicly-available, interactive, web- based tools that automate the process of selecting cessation aids for individual smokers tailored on medical and personal factors;we developed a basic prototype (alpha version web interface and algorithm). The purpose of the proposed R03 study is to involve diverse smokers and healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, pharmacists, tobacco cessation specialists, wellness staff) in the final development phase, because for such a tool to have maximum impact, it must meet the needs of diverse users, feel personally relevant (tailored), and be accepted by users. Adopting a user-centered design approach, iterative rounds of usability testing will be conducted to assess the tool's effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction (N=60). Both quantitative and qualitative methods will support the Specific Aims of the proposed study to: (1) Assess the face validity of the tool for selecting cessation aids with smokers and healthcare providers, (2) Examine the process of selecting cessation aids using a cross-over trial (tool vs. print information), and (3) Explore smokers'use of the web-based tool prior to an appointment with a provider via field testing. This R03 will produce a user-centered tool that improves upon print information to help smokers select cessation aids. Future studies can test the impact of the tool on smokers'behavior and different methods for implementing it.
Tobacco use is an important public health problem and the use of cost-effective, evidence-based cessation aids is suboptimal. In addition to interventions that improve healthcare providers'assistance to smokers, tools are needed to increase consumer demand for these cessation aids. The purpose of the proposed R03 study is to involve diverse smokers and providers to develop a user-centered web-based tool to help smokers automate the selection of appropriate cessation aids based on both medical and personal factors.
| McQueen, Amy; Waters, Erika A; Kaphingst, Kimberly A et al. (2016) Examining Interpretations of Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels Among U.S. Youth and Adults. J Health Commun 21:855-67 |
| Waters, Erika A; McQueen, Amy; Caburnay, Charlene A et al. (2015) Perceptions of the US National Tobacco Quitline Among Adolescents and Adults: A Qualitative Study, 2012-2013. Prev Chronic Dis 12:E131 |
