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Avatar-Led Digital Therapeutic for Aiding Smoking Cessation in Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults

Avatar-Led Digital Therapeutic to Aid Smoking Cessation Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05847673
Enrollment
125
Registered
2023-05-08
Start date
2023-08-20
Completion date
2024-06-13
Last updated
2024-07-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma

Brief summary

This trial assesses the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of Empowered, Queer, Quitting, and Living (EQQUAL) smoking-cessation intervention for sexual and gender minority young adult smokers. The prevalence of tobacco use among sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults is more than twice as high as non-SGM young adults, suggesting that existing SGM-related disparities in tobacco use will persist well into the foreseeable future unless sustained efforts are undertaken to address them. EQQUAL is an online smoking cessation intervention designed specifically for SGM young adult smokers, and may help them quit smoking.

Detailed description

OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Participants receive self-guided, online quit smoking program, called EQQUAL Program A. ARM II: Participants receive self-guided online quit smoking program, EQQUAL Program B.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALOnline Smoking Cessation Intervention

Receive EQQUAL A intervention

OTHERQuestionnaire Administration

Ancillary studies

OTHERHealth Promotion and Education

Receive motivational messages and smoking cessation information via SMS text messages

Sponsors

The Leonard and Norma Klorfine Foundation
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* DEMOGRAPHIC CRITERIA: * Participants must self-identify being between 18 and 30 years of age * Participants must self-identify as a sexual and/or gender minority (i.e., a sexual orientation other than straight and/or gender that doesn't match sex assigned at birth) * Participants must currently reside in the United States, with a United States (US) mailing address, and anticipate remaining in the US for the duration of the study (3 months) * SMOKING CRITERIA: * Participants must self-report smoking at least 1 cigarette per day in the 30 days prior to screening * TREATMENT ACCESSIBILITY: * Participants must self-report having at least weekly Internet access for the next three months * Participants must self-report being willing and able to stream audio and video online for this study * Participants must self-report current use of a personal email account * Participants must self-report current use of text messaging * OTHER CRITERIA: * Participants must self-report that they are interested in participating in the study for themselves (versus \[vs\] someone else) * Participants must self-report that they have not participated in one of our prior smoking cessation studies * Participants must self-report that they are comfortable reading, writing, and speaking English * Participants must self-report that they understand and agree to the conditions of compensation * Participants must self-report that they are not currently incarcerated * Participants must be willing to use the assigned intervention program, complete the study assessments, and consent to participate in this study * Participants must be willing to upload a photo of themselves (face visible)

Exclusion criteria

* Participants must not be currently using other tobacco cessation treatments at the time of screening, including pharmacotherapy or behavioral support (but initiating these treatments during the study is allowed) * Participants must not be a member of the same household as another research participant * Having a Google voice number as their sole phone number

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of EQQUAL sessions completedUp to 3 monthsWill be presented descriptively as frequencies and percentages.
Average change in Contemplation Ladder scoresBaseline through 3-month follow-upContemplation Ladder scores will be used to assess readiness to quit using cigarettes. Will test for statistical differences between arms using linear regression, with adjustment for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome (i.e., potential confounders).
Reduction in cigarettes smoked per dayBaseline through 3-month follow-upChange in cigarette smoked per day will be assessed as the difference between average number of cigarettes smoked per day over the past 7 days at baseline and at 3-month follow-up. Will test for statistical differences between arms using a negative binomial regression with adjustment for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome (i.e., potential confounders).
7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) from all nicotine and tobacco useAt 3-month follow-upSelf-report of no nicotine and tobacco use over the past 7 days, biochemically confirmed via saliva cotinine. Will test for statistical differences between arms using a logistic regression, with adjustment for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome (i.e., potential confounders).
Usability of the Empowered, Queer, Quitting, and Living (EQQUAL) programAt 3-month follow-upMeasured by the System Usability Scale. Will be presented descriptively as an average usability score.
Acceptability of the EQQUAL avatarAt 3-month follow-upWill be assessed using the Agent Persona Instrument, an adapted version of the Robotics Social Attribute Scale, and 4 open-ended, study specific questions. Will be presented descriptively as frequencies and percentages.
Overall satisfactionAt 3-month follow-upWill be assessed with a 5-point Likert-type item on the 3-month survey. Responses will be recorded into a binary variable representing responses of mostly satisfied or very satisfied versus all other responses (i.e., not at all, a little, and somewhat). Will test for statistical differences between arms using a logistic regression, with adjustment for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome (i.e., potential confounders).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in psychological flexibilityBaseline through 3-month follow-upAssessed by the short version of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI). Will calculate the change score as 3-month follow-up minus baseline score and use a linear regression model with adjustment for the baseline value of the measure of interest and for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome.
Changes in valued livingBaseline through 3-month follow-upAssessed by the Valuing Questionnaire. Will calculate the change score as 3-month follow-up minus baseline score and use a linear regression model with adjustment for the baseline value of the measure of interest and for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome.
Differences in 3-month smoking outcomes between those with high versus low baseline readiness to quitBaseline through 3-month follow-upWill be presented descriptively as frequencies and percentages.
Differences in 3-month smoking outcomes between those who identify as gender minority versus those who don'tBaseline through 3-month follow-upWill be presented descriptively as frequencies and percentages.
Changes in the acceptance of smoking triggersBaseline through 3-month follow-upAssessed by the emotional and physical subscales of the Avoidance and Inflexibility Scale (AIS). Will calculate the change score as 3-month follow-up minus baseline score and use a linear regression model with adjustment for the baseline value of the measure of interest and for the stratification variables, as well as adjustment for any baseline variables that had a statistically significant difference by study arm and were associated with the outcome.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026