A randomized trial of Text2Quit: a text messaging program for smoking cessation

Background: Text messaging programs on mobile phones have shown some promise in helping people quit smoking. Text2Quit is an automated, personalized, interactive mobile health program that sends text messages to offer advice, support, and reminders about quitting smoking.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Text2Quit on biochemically confirmed repeated point prevalence abstinence in the context of an RCT conducted in the U.S.

Methods: Participants (n=503) were recruited on the Internet and randomized to receive Text2Quit or self-help material. Between 2011 and 2013, participants were surveyed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-enrollment to assess smoking status. Saliva was collected from participants who reported not smoking in the past 7 days at the 6-month follow-up. An intent to treat analysis was used, and those lost to follow-up were categorized as smokers. All analyses were completed in 2013.

Results: Biochemically confirmed repeated point prevalence abstinence favored the intervention group, with 11.1% abstinent compared to 5.0% of the control group (relative risk=2.22, 95% CI=1.16, 4.26, p<0.05). Similarly, self-reported repeated point prevalence abstinence was higher in the intervention group (19.9%) than in the control group (10.0%) (p<0.01). Effects were found to be uniform across the analyzed demographic subgroups, although suggestive of a larger effect for non-whites than whites.

Conclusions: These results provide initial support for the relative efficacy of the Text2Quit program.