Incorporating Technology in Smoking Cessation Interventions: In-person Vs. Video-call Formats

Introduction: The use of video calls to provide health-related interventions has grown significantly, showing positive results in a broad range of psychological interventions. Scarce research has examined video-call use in smoking cessation treatments. The purpose of this study was to compare two randomised controlled trials conducting a cognitive-behavioral intervention to quit smoking in-person versus using video calls.

Material And Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of two randomised controlled trial studies (RCTs) conducted using two delivery formats: in-person vs. video calls. The sample comprised 498 adults seeking smoking cessation treatment. We analysed smoking cessation, cigarette reduction, and treatment satisfaction outcomes according to delivery format.

Results: No significant differences were found in sex, age, and baseline smoking-related variables. A significantly higher proportion of participants in the video-call format had university studies, were actively working, and had a history of depression compared to the in-person format. No significant differences were found in cessation, smoking reduction, and satisfaction with treatment. Predictive variables of 12-month abstinence were: baseline number of cigarettes smoked per day (OR = 0.93) in the case of the in-person format; and being a woman (OR = 0.53), cigarette dependence (OR = 0.46), and last year quit attempt (OR = 0.52) in the video-call format.

Conclusions: Both delivery formats showed similar abstinence rates at 12 months and satisfaction with the intervention. Therefore, in-person and video calls could be used to deliver smoking cessation treatments. Given that predictors of long-term abstinence differed across these delivery formats, further research is needed.

Trials Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov IDs: NCT02844595: NCT04765813.