Using the Internet to Understand Smokers' Treatment Preferences: Informing Strategies to Increase ..
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Westmaas JL, Abroms L, Bontemps-Jones J, Bauer JE, Bade J. Journal of
Medical Internet Research. 2011 Aug 26;13(3);e58.
This study explored
how Internet seekers of cessation information make judgments about their
preferences for treatment, and to identify sociodemographic and other predictors
of preferences (e.g., age, level of dependence, or timing of quit date). An
online survey was completed by 1196 smokers who visited the American Cancer
Society’s Great American Smokeout (GASO) webpage. Overall, 48% of respondents
were "quite a bit” or "very much” interested in nicotine replacement therapy
(NRT), 45% in a website that provides customized quitting advice, and 37% in
prescription medications. Only 11.5% indicated similar interest in quitlines,
and 17% in receiving customized text messages. Further analysis showed that
interest in treatments formed three clusters that seemed to depend on the level
of interpersonal interaction or support the treatment entails. Only 5% of
smokers were "quite a bit” or "very much” interested in interpersonal-supportive
methods (e.g., telephone counseling, web-based peer support, and in-person group
programs), while 25% were interested in nonsocial-informational methods (e.g.,
Internet programs, tailored emails, informational booklets), and 33% were
interested in pharmacotherapy (e.g., NRT, bupropion, and varenicline). One
surprising finding was that greater age was associated with a stronger interest
in nonsocial-informational methods. Interest in interpersonal-supportive methods
was greater if smokers had used a quitline before, or were planning to quit
earlier rather than later. Study authors conclude that the results can be used
to more effectively target and increase demand for these treatments among
smokers searching the Internet for cessation information.
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