There is no denying that attempting to quit smoking can be challenging, and among the many avenues individuals can seek support, the role of mobile phones appears to be an area worth considering. A recent review suggests that individuals who receive encouraging text messages to quit their smoking maintain abstinence for longer than individuals who do not.
The review, which was published in The Cochrane Library, looked at 5 large-scale studies that combined had more than 9000 participants. Although there were differences between the studies, such as the age of the participants and how the intervention was conducted, the researchers still noted a trend with regards to text messages. Essentially, the smokers who received text messages were nearly twice as likely not to relapse within six months in comparison to smokers who did not receive these text messages. In the intervention groups 6-10% remained abstinent for at least six months, whereas this was only the case for 4-5% in the control groups. The text messages were received several times a day and were either of a motivational character or contained advice but it was unclear if any method was superior.
The findings from this study are interesting, as text message interventions are relatively cost effective and easy to implement in combination with other treatments. Moreover, given the rapid development of mobile phones it would be interesting to see how apps may provide support for individuals attempting to quit smoking. Although the findings indicate a rather low success rate overall, there is little reason to assume that they are not reliable given the total number of participants.
We believe that the process of quitting smoking is complex and at times challenging. As such we understand how important it is that a person seeks support where possible. Text messages and apps will not cause any harm, but they are also unlikely to be effective on their own.