Real-world Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text M
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Christofferson
DE, Dennis PA, Hertzberg JS, Beckham JC, Knoeppel J, Hamlett-Berry K.
Real-world Utilization and
Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message
Program.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 May 24;23(6):931-938. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa183. PMID:
32945887.
Introduction.
Smoking cessation mobile health (mHealth) programs are effective and have been
recommended for integration into health care services but have not been
evaluated in real-world health care settings. The Veterans Health
Administration, a safety net health care provider, provides health care for 9
million US military veterans. Veterans Health Administration implemented the
SmokefreeVET text message program in 2013.
Methods. A
retrospective evaluation of 6153 SmokefreeVET subscribers was conducted. The
primary outcome was 30-day self-reported abstinence at 6 months. Secondary
outcomes included percentage of opt outs, program completers, and 30-day
self-reported abstinence at 3 months.
Results.
SmokefreeVET subscribers were on average 47.5 years old and 71.4% male. Smoking
cessation medication use was reported by 11.5% of subscribers at the start of
their quit attempt and subscribers enrolled in the program for an average of 29
days. Subscribers who were younger, female, and heavier smokers were more
likely to opt out of the six-week program early. The abstinence rate for the
primary outcome, self-reported 30-day abstinence at 6 months among all
subscribers was 3.7%.
Conclusions.
SmokefreeVET enrolled a younger and more female population of subscribers than
other studies of veterans interested in tobacco treatment. The mHealth program
was generally acceptable to veterans, yet strategies to increase retention may
improve completion rates and outcomes. In this real-world setting, nearly half
of the mHealth program subscribers combined use of the text program with
smoking cessation medication. Further study of the optimal combination of
mHealth with smoking cessation treatments is needed.
Implications.
mHealth smoking cessation programs can be effectively implemented within
real-world health care settings, even in those serving disadvantaged
populations. Further research to improve mHealth program efficacy and
integration into clinical settings will increase the population-level impact of
these effective smoking cessation programs.
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