Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113770

Scott T. Walters, PhD¹, Jo Anne Wright, MSI², Ross Shegog, PhD³, and Sarah A. Matson, BA¹. (1) School of Public Health, University of Texas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd V8.112, Dallas, TX 75390-9128, (214) 648-1519, scott.walters@utsouthwestern.edu, (2) School of Information, University of Michigan, 304 West Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1092, (3) Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, UT-Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States, inspiring government officials to establish a goal of significantly reducing the rates of adult smoking by the year 2010. If this is to be accomplished, there will be an increased need for interventions that can be disseminated to larger numbers of smokers at a relatively low cost. In moving toward this goal, one trend is toward interventions that can be delivered via mail, computer and the Internet. This article reviews published studies of computer and Internet-based interventions for smoking behavior, published between 1995 and August 2004. Following electronic and manual searches of the literature, 19 studies were identified that used automated systems for smoking prevention or cessation, and measured outcomes related to smoking behavior. Studies varied widely in methodology, intervention delivery, participant characteristics, follow-up period, and measurement of cessation. Of eligible studies, nine (47%) reported statistically significant or improved outcomes at the longest follow-up, relative to a comparison group. Few patterns emerged in terms of subject, design or intervention characteristics that led to positive outcomes. The “first generation” format, where participants were mailed computer-generated feedback reports, was the modal intervention format and the one most consistently associated with improved outcomes. Future studies will need to identify whether certain patients are more likely to benefit from such interventions, and which pharmacological and behavioral adjuncts can best promote cessation.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify empirically-based internet and computer treatment options for smokers.
• Recognize elements of effective interventions.
• Describe how internet and computer interventions for smoking cessation can be integrated into other public health efforts.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.