Engaging with people who smoke as part of a smoking cessation campaign
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN94797633 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN94797633 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | University of Toronto RIS# 211666 |
- Submission date
- 08/10/2024
- Registration date
- 10/10/2024
- Last edited
- 04/03/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims:
To address cigarette smoking as a chronic relapsing disease, long-term engagement (LTE) interventions have shown some promise. This study aims to assess the effects of incorporating long-term engagement into a smoking cessation social marketing campaign on participants' quit-smoking journeys
Who can participate?
Adults between the ages of 35 and 64 years who smoke cigarettes and live in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec
What does the study involve?
Half of the participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group and half to the comparison group. The intervention group received monthly emails connecting participants to campaign news and activities and mini surveys informing campaign refinement, feedback opportunities via focus groups and interviews, financial incentives, and proactive knowledge exchange presenting study findings. The control group received no proactive engagement. Both groups responded to baseline and follow-up surveys every 6 months.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The expected benefit is improving the chances of quitting smoking. In addition, participants benefit from feeling supported during their quit journeys. There are no significant risks.
Where is the study run from?
The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit at the University of Toronto (Canada)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2021 to December 2023
Who is funding the study?
The study is funded by the federal government of Canada's Health Canada Substance Use and Addictions Program
Who is the main contact?
Prof. Robert Schwartz, robert.schwartz@utoronto.ca
Contact information
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator
155 College Street
Toronto
M3T 13S
Canada
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-7838-0769 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +1 (0)4163464509 |
| robert.schwartz@utoronto.ca |
Study information
| Study design | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Home |
| Study type | Treatment |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet. |
| Scientific title | Long-term engagement in smoking cessation campaign: a mixed methods randomized trial |
| Study acronym | LTESCC |
| Study objectives | Embedding frequent long-term engagement with adults trying to quit smoking cigarettes in a social marketing campaign is attractive and effective in increasing smoking cessation behaviors. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 25/05/2021, University of Toronto Research Ethics Board (McMurrich Building, 12 Queen’s Park Crescent West, 2nd Floor, Toronto, M5S 1S8, Canada; +1 (0)416 946 3273; ethics.review@utoronto.ca), ref: 41076 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Cigarette smoking |
| Intervention | Using simple randomization (random number method), half of the cohort was randomly assigned to the intervention group and half to the comparison group. Intervention group members were actively engaged with the campaign for 2 years through various activities. They received emails in 20 of the 24 months connecting them to campaign news and activities, five mini-surveys to inform campaign refinement, opportunities to give additional feedback via focus groups and interviews, and proactive knowledge exchange materials presenting study findings (i.e., infographics). Emails were sent using Mailchimp and espoused the tone of empathy and compassion, which were central traits of the campaign. Intervention Group participants received an additional $160 and $70, in the first and second years respectively, for their participation. Incentives were distributed in smaller amounts and often coincided with a mini-survey. At 18 months follow-up, 679 new participants were on-boarded into the intervention group for replenishment. The five mini surveys collected feedback on a variety of topics. Feedback often focused on the knowledge needs of the Canadian Cancer Society. In year 1, the surveys asked for feedback on: 1) the campaign’s initial direction, name and creative, 2) social media preferences, and 3) the experience as an intervention group member. In year 2, the surveys explored participants’ 4) perceptions of quitting milestones and preferences for sharing milestones and contests and 5) feedback on the new #IamQuitting Milestone Contest. A bonus survey also occurred in Year 2 to obtain feedback about potential next steps for Smoke-Free Curious. Control group members received no proactive engagement. They may have been exposed to campaign messaging as would any other Canadian adult person who smokes. Both intervention group and comparison group participants received invitations to complete a baseline survey (prior to campaign launch) and follow-up surveys at 6-month intervals (conducted at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months post-campaign launch). |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Taking action to support smoking cessation is measured using survey questions about ordering free Nicotine Replacement kits, chatting with friends or family about quitting smoking, looking up community quit smoking supports, talking to a health professional and signing up for the First Week Quit Smoking Challenge at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months post-campaign launch. |
| Secondary outcome measures | 1. Quit attempts measured using survey self-report at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months post-campaign launch 2. Engagement with monthly emails measured using e-mail analytics at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months post-campaign launch 3. Engagement with campaign components (website etc.) measured using survey self-report at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months post-campaign launch |
| Overall study start date | 01/02/2021 |
| Completion date | 31/12/2023 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 35 Years |
| Upper age limit | 64 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 3000 |
| Total final enrolment | 3199 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. From 35 to 64 years of age 2. Currently smoke cigarettes 3. Live in the province of Ontario or Quebec where the campaign was run |
| Key exclusion criteria | Does not meet the inclusion criteria |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/08/2021 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/12/2021 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Canada
Study participating centre
Toronto
M3T 13S
Canada
Sponsor information
University/education
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
155 College Street
Toronto
M3T 13S
Canada
| Phone | +1 (0)416 978 3901 |
|---|---|
| lee.vernich@utoronto.ca | |
| Website | https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/03dbr7087 |
Funders
Funder type
Government
Government organisation / National government
- Alternative name(s)
- Santé Canada
- Location
- Canada
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 31/03/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Planned publication in a peer-reviewed journal |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study will be available upon request from Robert Schwartz (robert.schwartz@utoronto.ca) |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 30/01/2025 | 31/01/2025 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
04/03/2025: The Sponsor email was updated.
31/01/2025: Publication reference added.
09/10/2024: Study's existence confirmed by University of Toronto Research Ethics Board.
