Feasibility and acceptability of a mobile health tool for ambivalent smokers: Results from a proof-of-concept study

Most smoking cessation research targets individuals intending to quit smoking, leaving a research and practice gap for individuals not actively contemplating quitting. Mobile health (mHealth) tools—conversational agents—are easy-to-use scalable platforms to deliver behavior change interventions. Our goal was to develop and test acceptability and feasibility of a tailored mHealth tool with interactive text messaging features, for individuals ambivalent about quitting smoking. We completed two studies. In Study 1, n = 309 people completed a cross-sectional survey that assessed preferences for the mHealth tool using a discrete choice experiment. Attributes were identified and programmed for user testing. In Study 2, n = 20 participants engaged with the mHealth tool for a 2-week period. Participants reported a significant reduction in the strength of their strongest urge ( t = −3.32; p < 0.005). Our proof-of-concept mHealth tool was acceptable and feasible. Next steps include refining our intervention prototype with enhanced participant elicited preferences and efficacy testing in a larger-scale trial.