Smoking Cessation Support Via Mobile Phone

Article Excerpt: Support for quitting smoking via text and video messages can help smokers kick the habit according to a new Cochrane systematic review. The authors of the review found that people were more likely to stay away from cigarettes over a six month period if they received motivational messages and advice to their mobile phones.  Those in intervention groups received quitting advice messages, short video diary clips, and interactive polls, while those in comparison groups received text messages less frequently, or were given online information or support over the phone.  Overall, the researchers estimated that mobile phone programs could nearly double the chance of quitting for at least six months from 4-5% in comparison groups to between 6-10% in intervention groups.