Randomised controlled trial of electronic resources to help smokers quit

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Smartphones are increasingly commonplace in the general population. Patient-facing mobile applications (“apps”) are software programs installed on smartphones that offer an opportunity to help modify behaviour of the smartphone user at low cost and with little or no clinician input. Multiple smoking cessation apps exist but very few have been independently evaluated, particularly in a hard-to-treat, hospital setting. The most downloaded smoking cessation app in Australia is My Quit Buddy, developed and marketed for the Department of Health. Preliminary data shows encouraging effects on smoking cessation in a self-selected and self-reported younger user group. Smokers seen in hospital settings are older, perhaps less sophisticated users of information technology with probably more ‘hard core’ nicotine addiction coupled with end-organ disease. The acceptability and potential effects of smoking cessation apps in this population are important to assess. Aims We propose a pilot randomized controlled study to help answer these questions and determine the sample size required for a definitive study. The smoking cessation app and standard care (online, generic smoking cessation information provided by Queensland Health) will be delivered as an adjunct to normal standards of care (i.e. as per RACGP guidelines). Both groups will have full access to all standard therapies for smoking cessation including pharmacotherapy, counselling. This study will estimate the incremental effect of My Quit Buddy app on smoking cessation rates at 3 months.