Text Messaging to Engage and Retain Veterans in Smoking Cessation Counseling

Summary

Tobacco-related diseases account for a significant portion of all VA healthcare costs and are a detriment to the health and quality of life of our Veterans. Despite progress in instituting tobacco screenings and treatment referral, most Veterans still do not receive the most effective strategy to help them quit smoking - pharmacotherapy combined with behavioral coaching. This study builds on findings from population health and mobile interventions to help more Veterans receive evidence-based tobacco treatment. The investigators propose to test the effect of two types of text messaging in combination with telephone cessation counseling: 1) pre-counseling text messages to increase enrollment in counseling, and 2) ongoing texts for those who start counseling that provide appointment reminders and support between sessions to increase adherence to counseling. This study supports multiple goals of the VA's Blueprint for Excellence. Results will directly inform decision-making and population-based care models for tobacco treatment.

Conditions

• Nicotine Dependence

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Text messaging prior to first counseling call

This is the first randomization (text to engage vs. mailed notice). Patients randomized to this condition will receive up to 8 text messages prior to the first counseling phone call to provide education regarding cessation treatment.

BEHAVIORAL

Text-to-Enhance

Two weeks following receipt of the letter (PrO condition) or upon completion of the engagement text messages (Text-to-Engage condition) a counselor trained in motivational interviewing and smoking cessation treatment will phone participants. The Text-to-Enhance condition will receive SMS appointment reminders for telephone counseling appointments and 5 texts per week with tips and suggestions for quitting for a duration of 8 weeks. The telephone counseling condition will receive standard 8 weeks of telephone counseling only.

BEHAVIORAL

Mail Notice

This is the first randomization (text to engage vs. mailed notice). Patients randomized to this condition will receive a notice in the mail that they will receive a phone call in about 2 weeks to offer telephone cessation treatment.

BEHAVIORAL

Telephone Counseling

Two weeks following receipt of the mailed notice or upon completion of the engagement text messages (Text-to-Engage condition) a counselor trained in motivational interviewing and smoking cessation treatment will phone participants. The Text-to-Enhance condition will receive SMS appointment reminders for telephone counseling appointments and 5 texts per week with tips and suggestions for quitting for a duration of 8 weeks. The telephone counseling condition will receive standard 8 weeks of telephone counseling only.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Paul Krebs, PhD · Manhattan Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

SEQUENTIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-11-08

Primary Completion

2021-11-01

Completion

2021-11-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations