Automated Smoking Treatment Program for the Treatment of Nicotine Dependence for Underserved Smokers, Project NOURISH Study
This clinical trial studies how well an automated smoking treatment program works to treat nicotine disorder in undeserved smokers. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, with tobacco use accounting for more deaths each year than the combined deaths attributable to alcohol, other drugs, homicide, suicide, motor vehicle accidents, and sexual behavior. Individuals with low socioeconomic status are far more likely to smoke and are less likely to successfully quit. Data indicate that smokers with higher socioeconomic status are more likely to use effective resources for quitting smoking than those with lower socioeconomic status, which appears to partially explain their higher quit rates. Therefore, efficiently connecting underserved smokers with limited resources to efficacious tobacco cessation programs is crucial for disease prevention and the elimination of health disparities. One approach to reaching underserved smokers is to partner with existing networks. Given the widespread proliferation of mobile phones, the potential of using mobile phones to improve the reach and efficacy of interventions is promising. This study seeks to address these needs by partnering with a large social service network to evaluate the efficacy and economic impact of a theoretically-based, fully automated, interactive smartphone- based smoking cessation intervention.