APPSPIRE: expanding the reach of an innovative tobacco control program for youth

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mobile phone technology offers a variety of opportunities for innovative approaches to health communication and intervention. These opportunities have been amplified by the emergence of next-generation smartphone devices that are capable of rich multimedia and sophisticated interactivity. Smartphone-based programs can be integrated seamlessly into a user's daily life and natural setting to deliver tailored healt messaging, interactive psychosocial activities, cognitive exercises, momentary assessments and much more. Few studies to date have evaluated strategies for leveraging smartphone applications to promote smoking prevention and cessation, and very few examples of evidence-based tobacco control programs currently exist for this rapidly spreading technology platform. The purpose of this project is to investigate the feasibility of a next-generation interactive multimedia intervention for smartphones that will promote smoking prevention and cessation among adolescents and young adults. The intervention will be based on an existing computer-based program entitled ASPIRE, and will be guided by the trans-theoretical model of change, social-cognitive theory, and addiction framework. The aims of this study are to develop a proof-of-concept implementation of the program and to evaluate this prototype for feasibility and preliminary impact. We will recruit 15 active smokers and 15 non-smokers from a local university and evaluate the application's appeal, acceptability, and usagein the field. The proposed research will be built upon our extensive federally funded line of tobacco and youth projects utilizing behavioral theory and innovative computer technology. The proposal is based on the considerable experience gained in a numberof highly promising tobacco projects conducted by our investigative team. This study will significantly advance our understanding of tobacco control among young adult smokers, who represent an understudied population. It will inform future work to investigate ways in which smartphone technology may be used for health communication and effective promotion of health behavior change. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Tobacco use remains a major public health problem. Smoking remainsthe number one cause of preventable death in the United States and accounts for 443,000 deaths each year.1 Nearly 1 in 4 high school seniors has smoked a cigarette within the last 30 days, and declines in smoking among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) that began in the 1990s have slowed in recent years.2 This study proposes an innovative resource for tobacco prevention and cessation that effectively builds on strong previous work, addresses a broad public health concern, and will contribute to our understanding of strategies for health communication and intervention via mobile phones.