Smoking Cessation
Conditions
Keywords
smoking cessation, auricular acupressure, primary care settings, randomized controlled trial
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential efficacy of auricular acupressure to stimulate specific acupoints in enhancing smoking cessation by reducing nicotine withdrawal symptoms among attendees in primary healthcare settings.
Detailed description
Uncontrolled trials indicated that auricular acupressure is an effective treatment for addictive behaviors such as smoking cessation. However, some methodological limitations can be identified among clinical trials in this area, and it is not clear whether it is more efficacious to use the commonly-used acupoints or other points that are specifically for reducing the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine. The study addresses the identified methodological shortcomings of the previous similar studies. It consists of a total of three intervention groups, which allows comparisons between the commonly-used acupoints of acupressure, acupoints specific to smoking cessation, and a sham-controlled intervention. The study does not only focus on the efficacy of smoking cessation but also assesses the mediate effect of auricular acupressure on nicotine withdrawal by questionnaire and biomarkers. This is the first study of its kind to yield information on the acceptability and effectiveness of a safe, available auricular acupressure technique on smoking cessation in Hong Kong. The findings could provide further information for the development of future tobacco-control activities targeting smokers in a wider population who would like to use acupressure as a treatment option.
Interventions
OTHERAuricular acupressure
For each auricular acupressure weekly session, magnetic ears tacks will be will be applied by certified traditional Chinese medicine practitioners according to the allocated group assignment, for a duration of one month.
Sponsors
Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Aged 18 years and over * Currently smoking at least one cigarette per day in the past 30 days * Are Hong Kong residents * Able to communicate in Cantonese * Currently reside in Hong Kong and expect to continue to do so for the next 6 months * Have access to a telephone
Exclusion criteria
* Currently undergoing other smoking cessation or similar programme * With a known history of allergy to adhesive tapes or history of current otitis externa or other ear disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7-day point prevalence by self report | 1.25 month after the initial contact | — |
| 7-day point prevalence by self report, validated by biochemical measures | 6 month | Obtaining CO measurement and testing urinary cotinine for those participants who report quitting smoking |
| Withdrawal symptoms | 1.25 month after the initial contact | Measured by two biomarkers for nicotine dependence: the gene expression level of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and dopamine level |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility outcome assessed in terms of participant recruitment, acupressure session attendance, retention, preference for using TCM for smoking cessation, perceived usefulness and confidence of quitting smoking by acupressure | 6 month | Feasibility outcomes will be assessed in terms of participant recruitment, acupressure session attendance, retention, preference for using TCM for smoking cessation, perceived usefulness and confidence of quitting smoking by acupressure |
| Acceptability: Subjective data on acceptability of auricular acupressure for smoking cessation | 1 month | Subjective data on acceptability of auricular acupressure for smoking cessation will be collected at each visit |
Countries
Hong Kong
Contacts
Primary ContactYW Mak, PhD
Backup ContactV Chiang
Outcome results
None listed