Nonsmokers Helping Smokers Quit (Project BEST)

Mail Campaigns That Target Smokers or Nonsmokers Who Live With Smokers

This study examines whether nonsmokers can be mobilized to help smokers quit. We will test, via mail campaign, whether targeting nonsmokers can be equally effective in increasing smokers' quit rate as targeting smokers directly. The hypothesis is that both targeted interventions will lead to a higher quit rate than a control group, which receives one set of self-help materials. Each of the targeted intervention groups receives 10 mailings. Smoking status of all three groups will be measured at 3 and 7 months post randomization.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Smoking Cessation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Messages targeting nonsmokers; Behavioral: Messages targeting smokers

Detailed Description

This study examines the potential of enlisting nonsmokers to help smokers quit smoking. Nonsmokers are the majority of the society. If an intervention can be designed to mobilize nonsmokers to help smokers quit, then it has strong implications for increasing smoking cessation at the population level. The conventional approach in smoking cessation is to target smokers directly. This study aims to test whether targeting nonsmokers can be equally effective. The study employs a three arm randomized design, in which a smoker-nonsmoker pair in the same household will be randomized into one of the three groups. One group receives materials targeting the smoker in the household, one group receives materials targeting the nonsmoker, and the third group serve as a control group. The intervention consists of mailed materials which include postcards, informational materials, CDs, DVDs, coupons for cessation-related incentives such as nicotine patches, and links to secured websites. The mail campaign is augmented with brief phone calls to ensure receipt of mailings and to reinforce targeted messages.The mail campaign is augmented with brief phone calls to ensure receipt of mailings and to reinforce targeted messages. At 3 and 7 months post randomization, project staff contact all participants to assess their smoking status.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 3125
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • San Diego, California, United States, 92111
      • University Of California San Diego

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• A household with at least one smoker and one nonsmoker
• Valid contact information
• English proficiency, both speaking and reading

Exclusion Criteria:

• Insufficient contact information

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Messages targeting nonsmokers; Messages targeting nonsmokers include 10 mailings for nonsmokers sent over 10 weeks. The mailed materials include postcards, informational materials, CDs, DVDs, coupons for cessation-related incentives such as nicotine patches, and links to secured websites. The mail campaign is augmented with brief phone calls to ensure receipt of mailings and to reinforce targeted messages.	Behavioral: Messages targeting nonsmokers
Experimental: Messages targeting smokers; Messages targeting smokers include 10 mailings for smokers sent over 10 weeks. The mailed materials include postcards, informational materials, CDs, DVDs, coupons for cessation-related incentives such as nicotine patches, and links to secured websites. The mail campaign is augmented with brief phone calls to ensure receipt of mailings and to reinforce targeted messages.	Behavioral: Messages targeting smokers
No Intervention: Usual care; one time mailing with a self-help quit kit

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Reporting 30-day Abstinence	Assessment interview is conducted over the phone at 7-months post enrollment to determine 30-day abstinence. The interview will cover, as appropriate, tobacco use, use of quitting aids, and pattern of quitting (including slips and relapse situations).	7-months post enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Support for Quitting	The number of participants who felt they had "a lot" of support for quitting or staying quit.	At intake
Number of Participants Reporting 30-day Abstinence	Assessment interview is conducted over the phone at 3-months post enrollment to determine 30-day abstinence. The interview will cover, as appropriate, tobacco use, use of quitting aids, and pattern of quitting (including slips and relapse situations).	3-months post enrollment

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Counseling	Did participants receive counseling	7-months post enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, San Diego
• Collaborators: University of Oklahoma

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 2, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 9, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): December 13, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 13, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2020
• Last Verified: February 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: behavioral intervention; smoking cessation; self-help; nonsmokers; proxy; mail intervention
• Other Study ID Numbers: UO1 CA154280 IRB #130764