Text messaging helps quit smoking: Study

The research initiated by Dr. Robyn Whittaker and his colleagues from the University of Auckland in New Zealand finds that text messaged advices and encouragements doubled the probability of smokers quitting smoking early.

A review of four clinical trials on smoking cessation conducted in New Zealand, UK and Norway helped the researchers reach the findings of the present study.

While two studies observed the anti-smoking programs that involved only text messages, the other two observed impact of programs using text messaging, emails and a dedicated website.

It was found that text messages doubled the chances of quitting in a period of six months and using other tools helped in living smoke free for up to a year.

Do text messages really help in quitting?
“We know that stopping smoking can be really difficult and most people take several attempts to quit successfully. And so I think it is important to be able to offer lots of different options for extra support,” says Dr Whittaker.

“It makes a lot of sense. Mobiles are well-integrated in daily lives. The programs are using what’s in daily life rather than making people come into a clinic. They’re more proactive, delivering directly to people wherever they are,” he further said. “The frequent messages can also act as a good reminder and motivation to keep going.”

The success of an anti smoking program called ‘Txt2Quit’ is the living example of text messaging helping quit the habit. The program is being run in New Zealand with the help of government funding.

It may be noted that only 5 percent of smokers are able to quit smoking without any help and such programs can help in encouraging the smokers when the craving for smoking starts.

An effective option for anti-smoking campaigns
“I’m glad the reviewers are trying to identify new ways to help people quit. What’s out there is relatively stagnant. The protocol hasn’t changed in years. But smokers are changing and our care needs to change,” says Dr. Rebecca Schane, a pulmonologist at the Center for Tobacco Control Research at the University of California at San Francisco.

“We’re in a bit of a rut; if this study brings to the forefront the idea that there are other ways we can treat smokers, that’s great,” she added.

The present study and its findings are available in the latest issue of Cochrane Library, a publication of the international research organization, the Cochrane Collaboration.