Randomized controlled trial testing a video-text tobacco cessation intervention among economically disadvantaged African American adults

Efficacy of Web-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Helping Black Adults Quit Smoking

BACKGROUND

Digital smoking cessation interventions may reduce racial disparities in cessation because they are low cost, scalable, and can provide support at any place or time. Despite their promise, whether Black adults engage with and benefit from these tools is largely unknown. In a secondary analysis of a randomized trial, we explored the efficacy of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based website (WebQuit) for smoking cessation compared to a US clinical practice guidelines-based website (Smokefree.gov) among Black adults.

METHODS

A total of 316 Black adult smokers were enrolled in the trial between May 2017 and September 2018 and received access to WebQuit or Smokefree for 12 months. Participants self-reported on 30-day and 7-day abstinence from cigarette smoking at 3, 6, and 12-months. Treatment engagement was objectively measured and compared between arms. Participants also reported on their willingness to accept cues to smoke without smoking.

RESULTS

WebQuit versus Smokefree participants engaged more with their website (higher number of logins, Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.70, 2.89). Complete-case 30-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at 12-months was 34% for WebQuit vs. 29% for Smokefree (OR = 1.22 95% CI: 0.73, 2.04). Increases in participants' willingness to accept cues to smoke mediated the intervention effect on abstinence from cigarette smoking at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

This study addressed the lack of research on the utilization and efficacy of digital interventions for helping Black adults quit smoking. WebQuit participants engaged more with their website and quit smoking at a somewhat higher rate relative to Smokefree participants, albeit nonsignificant. Findings suggest high acceptability of ACT-based digital interventions to enable Black adult smokers to engage and sustain behavior changes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01812278.

Enhancing Tobacco Quitline Outcomes for African American Adults: An RCT of a Culturally Specific Intervention

INTRODUCTION

This study tested the effectiveness of a culturally specific tobacco cessation video intervention among African American quitline enrollees.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a 3-arm semipragmatic RCT.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

African American adults (N=1,053) were recruited from the North Carolina tobacco quitline and data were collected between 2017 and 2020.

INTERVENTION

Participants were randomized to receive (1) quitline services only; (2) quitline services plus a standard, general audience video intervention; or (3) quitline services plus Pathways to Freedom (PTF), a culturally specific video intervention designed to promote cessation among African American persons.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was self-reported 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included 7-day and 24-hour point prevalence abstinence at 3 months, 28-day continuous abstinence, and intervention engagement. Data analyses occurred in 2020 and 2022.

RESULTS

At 6 months, 7-day point prevalence abstinence was significantly greater in the Pathways to Freedom Video arm compared with quitline-only (OR=1.5, CI=1.11, 2.07). Twenty four-hour point prevalence abstinence was significantly greater in the Pathways to Freedom (than in quitline-only) group at 3 (OR=1.49, 95% CI=1.03, 2.15) and 6 (OR=1.58, 95% CI=1.10, 2.28) months. At 6 months, 28-day continuous abstinence (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.17, 2.20) was significantly greater in the Pathways to Freedom Video arm than in the quitline-only arm. Views of the Pathways to Freedom Video were 76% higher than views of the standard video.

CONCLUSIONS

Culturally specific tobacco interventions delivered through state quitlines can increase cessation and thus have the potential to decrease health disparities among African American adults.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered at www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov NCT03064971.

Advancing digital health Equity: Directions for behavioral and social science research

The field of digital health is evolving rapidly and encompasses a wide range of complex and changing technologies used to support individual and population health. The COVID-19 pandemic has augmented digital health expansion and significantly changed how digital health technologies are used. To ensure that these technologies do not create or exacerbate existing health disparities, a multi-pronged and comprehensive research approach is needed. In this commentary, we outline five recommendations for behavioral and social science researchers that are critical to promoting digital health equity. These recommendations include: (i) centering equity in research teams and theoretical approaches, (ii) focusing on issues of digital health literacy and engagement, (iii) using methods that elevate perspectives and needs of underserved populations, (iv) ensuring ethical approaches for collecting and using digital health data, and (v) developing strategies for integrating digital health tools within and across systems and settings. Taken together, these recommendations can help advance the science of digital health equity and justice.

A Systematic Review of Internet-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Self-Management of Cardiovascular Diseases among People of African Descent

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, morbidity, and mortality among people of African descent (PAD) appear to be higher than in the general population. While it has been found that lifestyle changes can prevent around 90% of CVDs, implementing an effective lifestyle programme is expensive and time-consuming. It has been demonstrated that Internet-based interventions (IbIs) can effectively and inexpensively encourage lifestyle modifications to prevent and manage chronic diseases. Although a number of studies have examined the effectiveness of IbIs in the general population, no comprehensive study of the usefulness and acceptability of IbIs among PAD has been conducted. This is the knowledge gap that this study aimed to address. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science to identify eligible studies published from inception to February 2022. Thirteen articles met our criteria for inclusion. Our textual narrative synthesis produced inconsistent results; nonetheless, high acceptability of IbIs and a considerable improvement in clinical and behavioural outcomes associated with CVDs were reported in several trials. The findings of this review are constrained by clinical, methodological and statistical variability among the studies. To have a good grasp on the effect of IbIs on behaviour change in PAD at risk of CVDs, large-scale longitudinal studies with long-term follow-up are required.