Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: May 14, 2024
Date Accepted: Dec 23, 2024
Enhancing text messaging support with media literacy and financial incentives for vaping cessation in young adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
The persistent high prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth and young adults remains a significant public health concern. Addressing this issue requires modern vaping cessation programs tailored to this vulnerable population.
Objective:
To outline the study design and protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating various components of vaping cessation programs on promoting vaping abstinence among young adult e-cigarette users.
Methods:
This pilot study employs a four-arm (1:1:1:1 ratio) RCT design to determine the potential impact of various combinations of media literacy education, financial incentives, and text-messaging support on vaping abstinence over a three-month trial period. The initial month entails a preparatory phase for quitting, succeed by two months dedicated to abstaining from vaping. The study will enroll 80 individuals aged 19-29 years who have used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, have access to the internet, and express interest in quitting vaping within the next 30 days. Eligible individuals will be randomized to one of the four study arms: Active Control, Media Literacy, Financial Incentive, and Combined. Regardless of their assigned groups, all participants will receive text-messaging support. Participants will be followed for 12 weeks to assess abstinence status with check-ins scheduled for Weeks 6, 8, and 10. The secondary outcomes include self-reported 7-day abstinence, changes in nicotine dependence, changes in media literacy scores, and biomarkers of exposure to toxicants. Additionally, exit interviews will be conducted with participants who complete the study to understand facilitators and barriers to participation and engagement in vaping cessation, informing future program refinement and scalability.
Results:
Recruitment for the study commenced in December 2023 and is expected to wrap up by July 2024.
Conclusions:
The findings from this study could provide valuable insights into the design, uptake, and potential scalability of vaping cessation strategies among youth and young adults. Clinical Trial: NCT05586308
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