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Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Christofferson, DE; Dennis, PA; Hertzberg, JS; Beckham, JC; Knoeppel, J; Hamlett-Berry, K
Published in: Nicotine Tob Res
May 24, 2021

INTRODUCTION: Smoking cessation mobile health (mHealth) programs are effective and have been recommended for integration into health care services but have not been evaluated in real-world health care settings. The Veterans Health Administration, a safety net health care provider, provides health care for 9 million US military veterans. Veterans Health Administration implemented the SmokefreeVET text message program in 2013. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of 6153 SmokefreeVET subscribers was conducted. The primary outcome was 30-day self-reported abstinence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included percentage of opt outs, program completers, and 30-day self-reported abstinence at 3 months. RESULTS: SmokefreeVET subscribers were on average 47.5 years old and 71.4% male. Smoking cessation medication use was reported by 11.5% of subscribers at the start of their quit attempt and subscribers enrolled in the program for an average of 29 days. Subscribers who were younger, female, and heavier smokers were more likely to opt out of the six-week program early. The abstinence rate for the primary outcome, self-reported 30-day abstinence at 6 months among all subscribers was 3.7%. CONCLUSIONS: SmokefreeVET enrolled a younger and more female population of subscribers than other studies of veterans interested in tobacco treatment. The mHealth program was generally acceptable to veterans, yet strategies to increase retention may improve completion rates and outcomes. In this real-world setting, nearly half of the mHealth program subscribers combined use of the text program with smoking cessation medication. Further study of the optimal combination of mHealth with smoking cessation treatments is needed. IMPLICATIONS: mHealth smoking cessation programs can be effectively implemented within real-world health care settings, even in those serving disadvantaged populations. Further research to improve mHealth program efficacy and integration into clinical settings will increase the population-level impact of these effective smoking cessation programs.

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Published In

Nicotine Tob Res

DOI

EISSN

1469-994X

Publication Date

May 24, 2021

Volume

23

Issue

6

Start / End Page

931 / 938

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans Health
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs
  • United States
  • Text Messaging
  • Telemedicine
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Christofferson, D. E., Dennis, P. A., Hertzberg, J. S., Beckham, J. C., Knoeppel, J., & Hamlett-Berry, K. (2021). Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program. Nicotine Tob Res, 23(6), 931–938. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa183
Christofferson, Dana E., Paul A. Dennis, Jeffrey S. Hertzberg, Jean C. Beckham, Jennifer Knoeppel, and Kim Hamlett-Berry. “Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program.Nicotine Tob Res 23, no. 6 (May 24, 2021): 931–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa183.
Christofferson DE, Dennis PA, Hertzberg JS, Beckham JC, Knoeppel J, Hamlett-Berry K. Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 May 24;23(6):931–8.
Christofferson, Dana E., et al. “Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program.Nicotine Tob Res, vol. 23, no. 6, May 2021, pp. 931–38. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/ntr/ntaa183.
Christofferson DE, Dennis PA, Hertzberg JS, Beckham JC, Knoeppel J, Hamlett-Berry K. Real-World Utilization and Outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration's Smoking Cessation Text Message Program. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 May 24;23(6):931–938.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nicotine Tob Res

DOI

EISSN

1469-994X

Publication Date

May 24, 2021

Volume

23

Issue

6

Start / End Page

931 / 938

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans Health
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs
  • United States
  • Text Messaging
  • Telemedicine
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Male