JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the US. Despite availability of a plethora of evidence-based smoking cessation resources, less than a third actively seek cessation services. For example, free “quitlines” are available in all US states, but less than 3% of smokers—those motivated to take action to quit smoking—utilize them. Lacking are low-cost, scalable interventions that support smokers unready to quit (ambivalent smokers) to gradually promote smoking behavior changes until motivation to quit arises, at which time they can be navigated to evidence-based smoking cessation interventions. Conversational agents or chatbots could provide cessation education and support to ambivalent smokers to build motivation and navigate them to evidence-based resources when ready to quit.

Objective:

The goal of our study is to develop and pilot test preliminary feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation support chatbot.

Methods:

We will accomplish our study aims in two phases: In Phase 1, we will survey 300 ambivalent smokers to determine their preferences/priorities for a smoking cessation support chatbot. Using conjoint analysis, data gathered will be used to program a prototype chatbot. In Phase 2, we will assess the prototype chatbot’s acceptability in N=25 smokers using semi-structured interviews.

Results:

We are initiated data collection for Phase 1 of the study and anticipate that all study aims will be completed by June 2023.

Conclusions:

Study results will yield a smoking behavior change chatbot prototype developed for ambivalent smokers that will be ready for efficacy testing in a larger study