Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37950279›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2023

User evaluation and feasibility test of an app designed for smoking cessation in Italian people who smoke: preliminary findings from an uncontrolled pre-test post-test open study.

Pasquale Caponnetto, Mirko Casu, David Crane, Louise Ross, Maria Catena Quattropani, Riccardo Polosa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Pasquale CaponnettoDepartment of Educational Sciences, Section of Psychology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Mirko CasuDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. mirko.casu@phd.unict.it.
David CraneResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Louise RossSmoke Free (23 Limited), London, UK.
Maria Catena QuattropaniDepartment of Educational Sciences, Section of Psychology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Riccardo PolosaCenter of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundmHealth is a public health practice that exploits the use of mobile devices, including smartphone applications. We will describe an uncontrolled pre-test post-test open pilot study concerning the feasibility evaluation of a smartphone App designed to help in smoking cessation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a smartphone app as a tool for smoking cessation. This study is necessary to the literature because smoking is a major public health concern and has been linked to various health issues such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. While there are several smoking cessation interventions available, the use of mobile devices to aid in smoking cessation is a relatively new and innovative approach that requires further investigation.

methodsThe App "Smoke Free" was configured on the devices of N = 30 participants who smoked combustible cigarette, 13 males and 17 females aged 18 to 55 years, with the indications to use it for 90 days, describe their experience, suggest new features, and report any critical aspect. The study consisted of an initial screening visit to select participants that reflected the inclusion criteria and 4 study visits: a baseline visit, two follow-up visits, and one final visit. We used descriptive stats to summarize results. Repeated measures ANOVA and Wilcoxon test were used to test differences in smoking consumption, self-reported craving, and measured eCO level. Statistical software Jamovi was used for analysis. Interviews were conducted via phone or in-person and analyzed using qualitative description principles.

resultsParticipants evaluated the app as having good aesthetic appeal and user-friendliness but being moderately useful, despite some quitting or reducing their smoking behavior. To improve it, participants have proposed features such as more notifications, social network integration, and damage caused by smoking to the body over time for future app updates.

conclusionsThe application was moderately useful with good feasibility, with several suggestions for future updates that could improve its effectiveness.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsSmokingSmoking CessationAdolescentAdultEuropean PeopleFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsYoung AdultAddictionClinical psychologyFeasibility evaluationmhealthSmoke freeSmoking cessation

Identifiers

PMID37950279
PMCPMC10636835

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.