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The Effectiveness of Smartphone Applications to Aid Smoking Cessation: A Meta-Analysis

34 Pages Posted: 7 May 2019

See all articles by Adrian Barnett

Adrian Barnett

Queensland University of Technology; The Prince Charles Hospital

Ian Yang

The Prince Charles Hospital; University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine

Karen Hay

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Hang Ding

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation); University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine

Rayleen Bowman

The Prince Charles Hospital; University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine

Kwun Fong

The Prince Charles Hospital; University of Queensland - Department of Thoracic Medicine

Henry Marshall

The Prince Charles Hospital; University of Queensland - Department of Thoracic Medicine

More...

Abstract

Importance: Smartphone smoking cessation applications are extensively used by smokers to aid smoking cessation, are cost effective and widely available. Despite these benefits, their effectiveness remains inconclusive.

Objective: To determine the effect of smoking cessation applications with or without standard smoking cessation interventions (usual care) on quit rates amongst adult smokers in comparison to control apps and/or usual care.

Data sources: We searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Embase, AustHealth and the Cochrane Library on the 18th and 19th June 2018, updated on 22nd January 2019 supplemented by hand searching reference lists from relevant papers. Search terms for article retrieval included m-health, mhealth, smartphone, phone app, mobile app, mobile applications, quit smoking, smoking prevention, tobacco cessation, smoking cessation, smoking cessation programs, smoking, tobacco use cessation. The search was restricted to papers published in English, clinical trials, meta-analysis, randomised controlled trials and systematic review reviews.

Study selection: We included randomised controlled trials and non-randomised controlled trials which enrolled currently smoking adults who wanted to quit smoking and reported smoking abstinence. We included studies that tested a dedicated smoking cessation application. Title and abstracts were screened by two authors independently using Covidence software. Disagreements were resolved by discussion with a third author.

Data extraction and synthesis: Of 293 unique articles, 8 studies with a total of 3,543 participants met inclusion criteria. Risk ratio was calculated in RevMan using the default DerSimonian and Laird random effects model after Mantel-Haenszel fixed effects estimation.

Main outcome measure: Smoking abstinence rates.

Results: There was no statistically significant change in the rate of abstinence with smartphone smoking cessation applications, compared to usual care (RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.57). There was moderate heterogeneity (I2 57%) between studies.

Conclusions and relevance: At present, there is insufficient evidence to routinely recommend smoking cessation applications for smoking cessation, however further research is warranted given the significant heterogeneity of the included studies which may have reduced the positive effects demonstrated in some studies.

Funding: Self-funded by the authors.

Declaration of Interest: As per the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest, the authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval: As this was a meta-analysis no ethical approval was required or was obtained.

Keywords: Smoking cessation, smartphone application, quit, meta-analysis evidence

Suggested Citation

Barnett, Adrian and Yang, Ian and Hay, Karen and Ding, Hang and Bowman, Rayleen and Fong, Kwun and Marshall, Henry, The Effectiveness of Smartphone Applications to Aid Smoking Cessation: A Meta-Analysis (February 5, 2019). Clinical eHealth, October 8, 2020, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588914120300101, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3382411 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3382411

Adrian Barnett (Contact Author)

Queensland University of Technology ( email )

2 George Street
Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Australia

The Prince Charles Hospital ( email )

Australia

Ian Yang

The Prince Charles Hospital ( email )

Australia

University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine ( email )

Brisbane, Queensland
Australia

Karen Hay

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute ( email )

Brisbane, Queensland
Australia

Hang Ding

Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) ( email )

41 Boggo Rd
Dutton Park, Queensland
Australia

University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine ( email )

Brisbane, Queensland
Australia

Rayleen Bowman

The Prince Charles Hospital ( email )

Australia

University of Queensland - Faculty of Medicine ( email )

Brisbane, Queensland
Australia

Kwun Fong

The Prince Charles Hospital ( email )

Australia

University of Queensland - Department of Thoracic Medicine ( email )

Australia

Henry Marshall

The Prince Charles Hospital ( email )

Australia

University of Queensland - Department of Thoracic Medicine ( email )

Australia

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