The Dads in Gear Program: An Innovative Men-centered Approach to Smoking Cessation (DIG)

The purpose of this feasibility study is to evaluate Dads in Gear, a tailored program to support expectant and new fathers efforts to quit smoking. The 8 week group program integrates peer support and resources to support cessation, physical activity, and knowledge and skills related to fathering.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Smoking Cessation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Dads in Gear Program

Detailed Description

Using a prospective, non-comparative design, the DIG program is implemented and evaluated in 6 communities in this feasibility study. The program is offered by trained facilitators to fathers who currently smoke and want to quit. The RE-AIM framework is used to guide the evaluation. Open-ended questions in participant surveys, and semi-structured interviews and weekly telephone de-briefs with facilitators provide data for a process evaluation. Estimates of effectiveness include smoking behavior, fathering and physical activity measures at baseline, end of program, and 3-month follow up.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fathers of any age
• Currently smoking and want to quit smoking, or recently quit smoking (within last 2 months)
• Have at least one child under 5 years old or expecting a child (Men do not have to be residing with their children to be eligible)
• Able to attend the group program

Exclusion Criteria:

- Non smokers

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Dads in Gear Program; An 8 week group program to support men's smoking cessation efforts.	Behavioral: Dads in Gear Program; Other Names: DIG program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in smoking status from baseline to end of 8 week program	Self-reported smoking status using the following questions: Are you currently smoking? [Response: Yes/No]. If NO, how long have you been smoke-free? [Response: ___ # of days ___ # of weeks]	Baseline, and at end of 8 week program
Smoking status at 3 months following end of 8 week program	Self-reported smoking status using the following questions: Are you currently smoking? [Response: Yes/No]. If NO, how long have you been smoke-free? [Response: ___ # of days ___ # of weeks]	3 month follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Smoking behaviour - quit attempts during 8 week program	Self-reported frequency of quit attempts (smoke free for at least 24 hours) (questionnaire item)	End of 8 week program
Smoking behaviour - quit attempts between end of program and 3 month follow-up	Self-reported frequency of quit attempts during previous 3 months (smoke free for at least 24 hours) (questionnaire item)	At 3 month follow-up
Confidence to stay smoke free at end of 8 week program	Self-reported confidence to stay smoke free (questionnaire item)	End of 8 week program
Confidence to stay smoke free at 3 month follow-up	Self-reported confidence to stay smoke free (questionnaire item)	3 month follow-up
Change in Fathering Self-Efficacy from baseline to end of 8 week program	Fathering Self-efficacy Scale developed by Sevigney et al. (2016) is a measure of men's perceptions of their abilities (self-efficacy) related to parenting and fatherhood. Two of the three sub-scales in this tool will be used: Positive engagement (12 items; with scores ranging from 12 - 120) and direct care (4 items, with scores ranging from 4 - 40). A 10-point Likert scale response format is used for each item. The item scores in each sub-scale will be summed to obtain sub-scale scores. Sub-scale scores are summed for total Father Self-Efficacy score (range 16-160). Higher scores indicate better self-efficacy.	Baseline and at end of 8 week program
Fathering Self-efficacy at 3 month follow-up	Fathering Self-efficacy Scale developed by Sevigney et al. (2016) is a measure of men's perceptions of their abilities (self-efficacy) related to parenting and fatherhood. Two of the three sub-scales in this tool will be used: Positive engagement (12 items; with scores ranging from 12 - 120) and direct care (4 items, with scores ranging from 4 - 40). A 10-point Likert scale response format is used for each item. The item scores in each sub-scale will be summed to obtain sub-scale scores. Sub-scale scores are summed for total Father Self-Efficacy score (range 16-160). Higher scores indicate better self-efficacy.	3 month follow-up
Change in physical activity from baseline to end of 8 week program	Godin Physical activity leisure time questionnaire	Baseline, and at end of 8 week program
Physical activity at 3 month follow-up	Godin Physical activity leisure time questionnaire	3 month follow-up
Change in sedentary behavior from baseline to end of 8 week program	Self-reported time spent sitting during past 7 days on a weekday (questionnaire item).	Baseline, and end of 8 week program
Sedentary behavior at 3 month follow-up	Self-reported time spent sitting during past 7 days on a weekday (questionnaire item).	3 months follow-up

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Program Fidelity	Semi-structured telephone interviews with facilitators during program implementation	During 8 week program implementation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Collaborators: Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joan Bottorff, PhD, University of British Columbia; Principal Investigator: John Oliffe, PhD, University of British Columbia

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Bottorff JL, Oliffe JL, Sarbit G, Caperchione C, Clark M, Anand A, Howay K. Assessing the feasibility, acceptability and potential effectiveness of an integrated approach to smoking cessation for new and expectant fathers: The Dads in Gear study protocol. Contemp Clin Trials. 2017 Mar;54:77-83. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2017.01.002. Epub 2017 Jan 11.

Helpful Links

• Dads in Gear Website

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): January 31, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 25, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): July 13, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 16, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 12, 2018
• Last Verified: July 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Health Behaviour; Family health; Fathers; Masculinity; Gender role
• Other Study ID Numbers: #702831

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No