Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39808479›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2025

Eliciting Preferences for the Uptake of Smoking Cessation Apps: Discrete Choice Experiment.

Dorothy Szinay, Rory A Cameron, Andy Jones, Jennifer A Whitty, Tim Chadborn, Jamie Brown, Felix Naughton

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

7 authors.

Dorothy SzinayBehavioural and Implementation Science Group, School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-2722-6758
Rory A CameronNorwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-7442-0935
Andy JonesThe Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-3130-9313
Jennifer A WhittyNorwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-5886-1933
Tim ChadbornBehavioural and Social Sciences Team, Department of Health and Social Care, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-6264-3843
Jamie BrownBehavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-2797-5428
Felix NaughtonBehavioural and Implementation Science Group, School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-9790-2796

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIf the most evidence-based and effective smoking cessation apps are not selected by smokers wanting to quit, their potential to support cessation is limited.

objectiveThis study sought to determine the attributes that influence smoking cessation app uptake and understand their relative importance to support future efforts to present evidence-based apps more effectively to maximize uptake.

methodsAdult smokers from the United Kingdom were invited to participate in a discrete choice experiment. Participants made 12 choices between two hypothetical smoking cessation app alternatives, with five predefined attributes reflecting domains from the theoretical domains framework: (1) monthly price of the app (environmental resources), (2) credible source as app developer (social influence), (3) social proof as star rating (social influence), (4) app description type (beliefs about consequences), and (5) images shown (beliefs about consequences); or opting out (choosing neither app). Preferences and the relative importance of attributes were estimated using mixed logit modeling. Willingness to pay and predicted uptake of the most and least preferred app were also calculated.

resultsA total of 337 adult smokers completed the survey (n=168, 49.8% female; mean age 35, SD 11 years). Participants selected a smoking cessation app rather than opting out for 90% of the choices. Relative to other attributes, a 4.8-star user rating, representing social proof, was the strongest driver of app selection (mean preference parameter 2.27, SD 1.55; 95% CI 1.95-2.59). Participants preferred an app developed by health care-orientated trusted organization (credible source) over a hypothetical company (mean preference parameter 0.93, SD 1.23; 95% CI 0.72-1.15), with a logo and screenshots over logo only (mean preference parameter 0.39, SD 0.96; 95% CI 0.19-0.59), and with a lower monthly cost (mean preference parameter -0.38, SD 0.33; 95% CI -0.44 to -0.32). App description did not influence preferences. The uptake estimate for the best hypothetical app was 93% and for the worst, 3%. Participants were willing to pay a single payment of up to an additional US $6.96 (UK £5.49) for 4.8-star ratings, US $3.58 (UK £2.82) for 4-star ratings, and US $2.61(UK £2.06) for an app developed by a trusted organization.

conclusionsOn average, social proof appeared to be the most influential factor in app uptake, followed by credible source, one perceived as most likely to provide evidence-based apps. These attributes may support the selection of evidence-based apps.

Indexed as

Choice BehaviorMobile ApplicationsPatient PreferenceSmoking CessationAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited Kingdombehavior changediscrete choice experimenthealth appmHealthmobile phonesmartphone appsmoking cessationTDFtheoretical domains frameworkuptake, engagement

Identifiers

PMID39808479
PMCPMC11775483

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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.