Promoting Smoking Cessation in the Community Via "Quit to Win" Contest 2026: Engagement-Focused GenAI-based Chatbot for Real-Time Smoking Cessation Support (QTW2026)
9 giugno 2026 aggiornato da: Prof. Wang Man-Ping, The University of Hong Kong
Building Capacity and Promoting Smoking Cessation in the Community Via "Quit to Win" Contest 2026: Real-time Smoking Cessation Instant Messaging Support Using a Engagement-Focused Large Language Model (LLM)-Based Chatbot
The goal of this trial is to learn if chatbot-based instant messaging works to help smoking cessation in general adult smokers. It will also learn about the experience, attitude, and perception of using an LLM-based chatbot. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Will an engagement-focused LLM-based chatbot smoking cessation intervention have a non-inferior validated abstinence rate than the control group?
- Will an LLM-based chatbot smoking cessation intervention have a non-inferior self-reported abstinence rate, smoking reduction rate, and smoking cessation services use rate than the control group?
Researchers will compare an LLM-based chatbot smoking-cessation intervention to a human-led instant messaging support group (brief advice based on AWARD and personalised active referral) to determine whether chatbot-based instant messaging support promotes smoking cessation.
Participants in the intervention group will receive:
- AWARD advice
- Personalised active referral
- 12 weeks of chatbot-based instant messaging support (via WhatsApp)
Panoramica dello studio
Stato
Non ancora reclutamento
Condizioni
Intervento / Trattamento
- Comportamentale: Messaggi di promemoria
- Comportamentale: AWARD advice
- Comportamentale: Brief leaflet on health warning and smoking cessation
- Comportamentale: Referral card
- Comportamentale: Self-help smoking cessation booklet
- Comportamentale: Personalized active referral
- Comportamentale: 12 weeks of chatbot-based instant messaging support
- Comportamentale: 12 weeks of human-led instant messaging support
Descrizione dettagliata
Although smoking prevalence in Hong Kong has declined to 9.1% in 2023, achieving the government's target of 7.8% by 2025 remains a major public health challenge.
Unassisted "cold turkey" quitting has a long-term success rate of less than 5%, whereas evidence-based behavioural and pharmacological interventions can raise success rates to approximately 20% or higher.
However, existing cessation services in Hong Kong face a critical utilisation gap: only 17.5% of smokers have engaged with professional services, and merely 23% have used nicotine replacement therapy.
This underutilisation suggests that traditional human-resource-intensive models may lack accessibility, scalability, and local appeal.
Generative AI, particularly large language models, offers a transformative solution by delivering consistent, scalable, and personalised support.
In the 2025 "Quit to Win" round, we integrated an LLM-based chatbot via WhatsApp and received positive qualitative feedback.
Yet quantitative analysis revealed a sharp engagement decline, with weekly participation dropping from 32% in week 1 to 14% by week 12, indicating that conversational ability alone does not guarantee sustained user commitment.
To address this implementation gap, we have developed an engagement-focused GenAI companion that incorporates structured onboarding, context-aware personalisation, multimodal (text/audio) input, empathetic support, habit-aligned reminders, localised humour, and gamified features such as success stories and knowledge quizzes.
Therefore, our study aims to test, via a two-arm non-inferiority randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of a comprehensive intervention combining brief cessation advice (AWARD), personalised active referral, and this engagement-enhanced GenAI chatbot support compared with human-led instant messaging counselling among current smokers who join the Quit to Win Contest across all 18 districts of Hong Kong.
Tipo di studio
Interventistico
Iscrizione (Stimato)
998
Fase
- Non applicabile
Contatti e Sedi
Questa sezione fornisce i recapiti di coloro che conducono lo studio e informazioni su dove viene condotto lo studio.
Contatto studio
- Nome: Man Ping Wang, PhD
- Numero di telefono: +852 3917 6636
- Email: mpwang@hku.hk
Backup dei contatti dello studio
- Nome: Yilan Wu
- Numero di telefono: +852 56497578
- Email: visspalan@connect.hku.hk
Luoghi di studio
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Hong Kong
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Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077
- Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH)
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Contatto:
- Man Ping Wang, PhD
- Numero di telefono: +852 3917 6636
- Email: mpwang@hku.hk
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Sub-investigatore:
- Shengzhi Zhao, PhD
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Sub-investigatore:
- Xiaoyun Xie, MPH
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Sub-investigatore:
- Mengyao Li, Mphil
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Contatto:
- Yilan Wu
- Numero di telefono: +852 56497578
- Email: visspalan@connect.hku.hk
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Investigatore principale:
- Man Ping Wang
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Sub-investigatore:
- Ziqiu Guo, PhD
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Sub-investigatore:
- Yilan Wu, MGH
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Criteri di partecipazione
I ricercatori cercano persone che corrispondano a una certa descrizione, chiamata criteri di ammissibilità. Alcuni esempi di questi criteri sono le condizioni generali di salute di una persona o trattamenti precedenti.
Criteri di ammissibilità
Età idonea allo studio
- Adulto
- Adulto più anziano
Accetta volontari sani
No
Descrizione
Inclusion Criteria:
- Hong Kong residents aged 18 years or above
- Smoke at least one cigarette (including heated tobacco products) per day or use an e-cigarette daily in the preceding 3 months
- Able to communicate in Cantonese (including reading and writing Chinese)
- Saliva cotinine level ≥30 ng/mL
- Intention to quit or reduce smoking
- Have WhatsApp installed
- Able to use WhatsApp for communication
Exclusion Criteria:
Currently participating in other smoking cessation programmes or using any smoking cessation drug
Piano di studio
Questa sezione fornisce i dettagli del piano di studio, compreso il modo in cui lo studio è progettato e ciò che lo studio sta misurando.
Come è strutturato lo studio?
Dettagli di progettazione
- Scopo principale: Ricerca sui servizi sanitari
- Assegnazione: Randomizzato
- Modello interventistico: Assegnazione parallela
- Mascheramento: Separare
Armi e interventi
Gruppo di partecipanti / Arm |
Intervento / Trattamento |
|---|---|
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Sperimentale: Gruppo di intervento
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Messaggi WhatsApp sui promemoria del sondaggio di follow-up.
A brief (30-60 seconds) face-to-face or remote smoking cessation advice delivered using the validated AWARD model: Ask about smoking history; Warn about high health risks (accompanied by a health warning leaflet); Advise quitting as soon as possible and setting a quit date (to qualify for contest prizes); Refer to smoking cessation services using a referral card; Do it again - repeat the intervention at each follow-up, encouraging re-quitting after relapse or relapse prevention after success.
A two-sided, colour-printed A4 leaflet covering: (1) absolute risk of death from smoking; (2) full list of diseases caused by active and second-hand smoking; (3) ten pictorial warnings of health consequences on one page for maximum impact; (4) benefits of smoking cessation; and (5) simple encouraging messages to quit.
A three-folded card containing brief information and highlights of existing smoking cessation services in Hong Kong, contact methods, motivational messages, and strong supporting slogans.
A generic booklet provided covering: benefits of quitting, smoking-related diseases, methods to quit, how to handle withdrawal symptoms, a quitting declaration, and other practical tips.
Smokers will be introduced to various SC services in Hong Kong (via the referral card) and motivated to use them.
Well-trained SC ambassadors will assist smokers in choosing their favourite or most convenient type of service.
Research staff will assist participants in booking or re-booking the SC services at the 1- and 2-month follow-ups (after very brief questionnaire surveys).
Participants' contact information will be forwarded to SC service providers within 7 days, and providers are expected to contact participants within 1-2 weeks.
Research staff will also monitor participants' use of SC services at each follow-up (1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month) and assist participants in booking or rebooking appointments if necessary at the 1- and 2-month follow-ups.
We shall liaise with the existing service providers and seek their assistance in supporting our smokers in a timely manner.
Participants in the intervention group will receive 12 weeks of instant messaging support delivered by an LLM-based chatbot (GPT-4o or newer) on WhatsApp, supporting text and audio input.
Using prompt engineering, agent techniques, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation, the chatbot delivers theory-based 5As/5Rs-structured interventions alongside freeform, on-demand support, with engagement features including personalisation, proactive check-ins, and interactive Quick Commands.
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Comparatore attivo: Gruppo di controllo
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Messaggi WhatsApp sui promemoria del sondaggio di follow-up.
A brief (30-60 seconds) face-to-face or remote smoking cessation advice delivered using the validated AWARD model: Ask about smoking history; Warn about high health risks (accompanied by a health warning leaflet); Advise quitting as soon as possible and setting a quit date (to qualify for contest prizes); Refer to smoking cessation services using a referral card; Do it again - repeat the intervention at each follow-up, encouraging re-quitting after relapse or relapse prevention after success.
A two-sided, colour-printed A4 leaflet covering: (1) absolute risk of death from smoking; (2) full list of diseases caused by active and second-hand smoking; (3) ten pictorial warnings of health consequences on one page for maximum impact; (4) benefits of smoking cessation; and (5) simple encouraging messages to quit.
A three-folded card containing brief information and highlights of existing smoking cessation services in Hong Kong, contact methods, motivational messages, and strong supporting slogans.
A generic booklet provided covering: benefits of quitting, smoking-related diseases, methods to quit, how to handle withdrawal symptoms, a quitting declaration, and other practical tips.
Smokers will be introduced to various SC services in Hong Kong (via the referral card) and motivated to use them.
Well-trained SC ambassadors will assist smokers in choosing their favourite or most convenient type of service.
Research staff will assist participants in booking or re-booking the SC services at the 1- and 2-month follow-ups (after very brief questionnaire surveys).
Participants' contact information will be forwarded to SC service providers within 7 days, and providers are expected to contact participants within 1-2 weeks.
Research staff will also monitor participants' use of SC services at each follow-up (1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month) and assist participants in booking or rebooking appointments if necessary at the 1- and 2-month follow-ups.
We shall liaise with the existing service providers and seek their assistance in supporting our smokers in a timely manner.
Participants in the control group will receive 12 weeks of instant messaging support delivered by a trained human counsellor via WhatsApp.
Using the same theoretical frameworks as the chatbot intervention, the counsellor will provide real-time behavioural and psychosocial support grounded in the 5As/5Rs models, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and evidence-based Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs).
The support will be personalised according to each participant's sociodemographic characteristics, smoking patterns, quit intentions, and plans.
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Cosa sta misurando lo studio?
Misure di risultato primarie
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Astinenza validata biochimicamente
Lasso di tempo: Controllo a 6 mesi
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Definito come livello di CO espirato <4ppm e livello di cotinina nella saliva ≤30 ng/ml
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Controllo a 6 mesi
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Misure di risultato secondarie
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Astinenza validata biochimicamente
Lasso di tempo: Controllo a 3 mesi
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Definito come livello di CO espirato <4ppm e livello di cotinina nella saliva ≤30 ng/ml
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Controllo a 3 mesi
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Astinenza da prevalenza a 7 giorni auto-segnalata
Lasso di tempo: Follow-up di 3 e 6 mesi
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Fumatori che non fumarono nemmeno uno sbuffo nei 7 giorni precedenti il follow-up
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Follow-up di 3 e 6 mesi
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Riduzione auto-segnalata
Lasso di tempo: Follow-up da 1-, 2-, 3 e 6 mesi
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Definito da almeno il 50% di riduzione del numero giornaliero basale di sigarette
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Follow-up da 1-, 2-, 3 e 6 mesi
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Uso auto-segnalato del servizio di cessazione del fumo
Lasso di tempo: Follow-up da 1-, 2-, 3 e 6 mesi
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Uso del servizio di cessazione del fumo con follow-up da 1, 2-, 3 e 6 mesi.
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Follow-up da 1-, 2-, 3 e 6 mesi
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Prolonged abstinence
Lasso di tempo: 3-month and 6-month follow-ups
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Abstinence from smoking for 3 consecutive months at 3-month follow-up, or for 6 consecutive months at 6-month follow-up
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3-month and 6-month follow-ups
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Quit attempt
Lasso di tempo: 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups
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Abstinence for at least 24 hours
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1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups
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Post-cessation weight change
Lasso di tempo: 6-month follow-up
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Self-reported change in body weight (in kilograms) from baseline to follow-up
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6-month follow-up
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Self-reported mental health conditions
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and 6-month follow-up
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Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4)
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Baseline and 6-month follow-up
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Self-reported smoking-related health conditions
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and 6-month follow-up
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Answer "Yes" to experiencing any smoking-related health condition during smoking cessation or reduction
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Baseline and 6-month follow-up
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Chatbot user experience
Lasso di tempo: 3-month follow-up
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Chatbot Usability Scale
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3-month follow-up
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Collaboratori e investigatori
Qui è dove troverai le persone e le organizzazioni coinvolte in questo studio.
Sponsor
Investigatori
- Investigatore principale: Man Ping Wang, The University of Hong Kong
Studiare le date dei record
Queste date tengono traccia dell'avanzamento della registrazione dello studio e dell'invio dei risultati di sintesi a ClinicalTrials.gov. I record degli studi e i risultati riportati vengono esaminati dalla National Library of Medicine (NLM) per assicurarsi che soddisfino specifici standard di controllo della qualità prima di essere pubblicati sul sito Web pubblico.
Studia le date principali
Inizio studio (Stimato)
20 giugno 2026
Completamento primario (Stimato)
30 giugno 2027
Completamento dello studio (Stimato)
30 giugno 2028
Date di iscrizione allo studio
Primo inviato
9 giugno 2026
Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità
9 giugno 2026
Primo Inserito (Effettivo)
15 giugno 2026
Aggiornamenti dei record di studio
Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato (Effettivo)
15 giugno 2026
Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC
9 giugno 2026
Ultimo verificato
1 giugno 2026
Maggiori informazioni
Termini relativi a questo studio
Termini MeSH pertinenti aggiuntivi
Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio
- QTW2026
Piano per i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)
Hai intenzione di condividere i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)?
NO
Informazioni su farmaci e dispositivi, documenti di studio
Studia un prodotto farmaceutico regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti
No
Studia un dispositivo regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti
No
Queste informazioni sono state recuperate direttamente dal sito web clinicaltrials.gov senza alcuna modifica. In caso di richieste di modifica, rimozione o aggiornamento dei dettagli dello studio, contattare register@clinicaltrials.gov. Non appena verrà implementata una modifica su clinicaltrials.gov, questa verrà aggiornata automaticamente anche sul nostro sito web .
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