Digital Coaching for Smoking Cessation
(TAMI Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

+1 other location

Overseen byJason Satterfield, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Building on our successful pilot work to develop a Motivational Interviewing (MI)-capable chatbot and cessation coach, the investigators propose to address the problems of intrinsic motivation and social barriers to smoking cessation by evaluating a highly scalable and easily accessible digital-coaching intervention that 1) promotes readiness to change using a technology-assisted MI (TAMI) chatbot, 2) provides compelling and accessible multilingual education about smoking cessation tools, and 3) develops a tailored quit plan addressing social barriers to treatment initiation and sustainment.

Research Team

Jason Satterfield, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals who are currently smoking and interested in quitting. They should be willing to engage with a digital coach via chatbot to increase their motivation and create a personalized plan to stop smoking. The details about specific inclusion or exclusion criteria are not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

Have a digital device (phone, laptop, tablet)

Able to participate for 6-month trial

A current Primary Care Provider patient

See 3 more

Exclusion Criteria

I am currently using methods or medications to help me stop smoking.

I am able to understand and give informed consent.

Current participation in a smoking cessation program

Treatment Details

Interventions

TAMI Coach (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study tests a Technology Assisted Motivational Interviewing (TAMI) Coach, which is a chatbot designed to help smokers quit by boosting their readiness to change, educating them on cessation tools in multiple languages, and helping develop tailored plans that consider social barriers.

Participant Groups

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Technology Assisted Motivational Interviewing (TAMI)Experimental Treatment1 Intervention

Individuals randomized to TAMI will interact with the fully automated, web-based MI-chatbot for the 6-month study period. Patients who continue to smoke will receive up to two text messages per week with the chatbot URL link to initiate additional conversations always beginning with an assessment of readiness to change but "remembering" prior conversations much like a clinician. Individuals in the preparation stage will move directly to EBP education, tailoring a quit plan and boosting both self-efficacy and outcome expectancies. Patients with sufficient confidence will be encouraged to set a quit date. Patients will be encouraged to include their PCP and/or state quitline. TAMI will provide support proximal to the quit date including guidance through common obstacles. TAMI will check back to assess treatment initiation, treatment sustainment (and/or cessation), or relapse. Patients who are unable to quit (or who relapse) will be encouraged to restart conversations with TAMI.

Group II: Usual CareActive Control1 Intervention

Individuals randomized to the Usual Care (UC) condition will receive a detailed educational handout on the health risks associated with smoking and information on Evidence Based Practice's (EBP) for cessation using the standard "Kick-It California" materials. Additional materials and referral resources regarding depression, stress, and other common barriers will be provided to all UC participants. Any UC individual can choose to quit at any time but they will not have access to TAMI. While this is not an "active" treatment condition, the handout and recurring assessments (at 3 and 6mo) may serve as reminders about the importance of quitting and may assist with finding support for co-occurring conditions or social needs.