TY - JOUR
T1 - ChewFree.com
T2 - Evaluation of a web-based cessation program for smokeless tobacco users
AU - Severson, Herbert
AU - Gordon, Judith
AU - Danaher, Brian
AU - Akers, Laura
PY - 2008/2
Y1 - 2008/2
N2 - The sizeable percentage of adults who use smokeless tobacco (ST) represents an important public health target since the majority of ST users have a strong desire to quit, but many lack resources. We tested the impact of an interactive, tailored Web-based intervention (Enhanced Condition) versus a more linear, text-based website (Basic Condition) in a randomized trial with 2523 adult ST users. As is common in Internet-based research, there was considerable attrition: Follow-up rates at 3 months, 6 months, and for both 3 and 6 months were 48%, 45% and 34%, respectively. Results using repeated point prevalence of all tobacco use at 3 and 6 months showed that participants in the Enhanced Condition quit at significantly higher rates than those in the Basic Condition. Using a Complete Case analysis, abstinence was 40.6% in the Enhanced Condition vs. 21.2% in the Basic Condition (p<.001). Using intent-to-treat analysis, quit rates were 12.6% vs. 7.9%, respectively (p<.001). Similar results were obtained for only ST use. Unobtrusive measures of program exposure indicated that program use was significantly related to outcome as well as to attrition. We conclude that a tailored, interactive Web-assisted cessation program can be an efficacious method for assisting adult ST users to quit.
AB - The sizeable percentage of adults who use smokeless tobacco (ST) represents an important public health target since the majority of ST users have a strong desire to quit, but many lack resources. We tested the impact of an interactive, tailored Web-based intervention (Enhanced Condition) versus a more linear, text-based website (Basic Condition) in a randomized trial with 2523 adult ST users. As is common in Internet-based research, there was considerable attrition: Follow-up rates at 3 months, 6 months, and for both 3 and 6 months were 48%, 45% and 34%, respectively. Results using repeated point prevalence of all tobacco use at 3 and 6 months showed that participants in the Enhanced Condition quit at significantly higher rates than those in the Basic Condition. Using a Complete Case analysis, abstinence was 40.6% in the Enhanced Condition vs. 21.2% in the Basic Condition (p<.001). Using intent-to-treat analysis, quit rates were 12.6% vs. 7.9%, respectively (p<.001). Similar results were obtained for only ST use. Unobtrusive measures of program exposure indicated that program use was significantly related to outcome as well as to attrition. We conclude that a tailored, interactive Web-assisted cessation program can be an efficacious method for assisting adult ST users to quit.
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U2 - 10.1080/14622200701824984
DO - 10.1080/14622200701824984
M3 - Article
C2 - 18236303
AN - SCOPUS:38849171754
VL - 10
SP - 381
EP - 391
JO - Nicotine and Tobacco Research
JF - Nicotine and Tobacco Research
SN - 1462-2203
IS - 2
ER -