A randomized controlled trial of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention for Korean American women: preliminary findings

Abstract

IntroductionKorean women are reluctant to pursue in-person smoking cessation treatment due to stigma attached to women smokers and prefer treatment such as telephone and online smoking cessation programs that they can access secretively at home. However, there is some evidence that face-to-face interaction is the most helpful intervention component for them to quit smoking.MethodsThis study is a pilot clinical trial that examined the acceptability and feasibility of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention for Korean American women and compared its preliminary efficacy with a telephone-based intervention. Women of Korean ethnicity were recruited nationwide in the United States and randomly assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to either a video arm or a telephone arm. Both arms received eight 30-minute weekly individualized counseling sessions of a deep cultural smoking cessation intervention and nicotine patches for 8 weeks. Participants were followed over 3 months from the quit day.ResultsThe videoconferencing intervention was acceptable and feasible for Korean women aged <50 years, whereas it was not for older women. Self-reported abstinence was high at 67% and 48% for the video and telephone arm at 1 month post-quit, respectively. The rates declined to 33% for the video arm and 28% for the telephone arm at 3 months post-quit when salivary cotinine test was performed.ConclusionFindings support that both videoconferencing and telephone counseling can be effective, and personal preference is likely an important factor in treatment matching. The deep cultural smoking cessation intervention may account for the outcomes of telephone counseling being better than prior studies in the literature for Korean women.

A pilot study of a smoking cessation intervention for women living with HIV: study protocol

“…59 The study conducted with Korean American women also reported that those older than 50 years had difficulty operating a video call web application. 32 This study is a pilot clinical trial with the target sample 50, which is not adequately powered. It will help researchers estimate an effect size for future larger studies.…”

“…Although statistically insignificant, cotinine-confirmed abstinence rate at 3 months post-quit was approximately 10% higher among Korean American women who received a videoconferencing cessation intervention than among those who received a telephone counseling one. 32 We will determine from this study whether it is worthwhile to pursue videoconferencing smoking cessation interventions as an adjunct to telephone counseling interventions such as quitline service for women who tend to have lower success rates with the service. [23][24][25][26][27]32 The study will also test the feasibility of a home-based salivary cotinine test using a NicAlert test strip.…”

“…25 As a relative comparison, Korean women smokers valued the support that they received from their therapists more than their male counterparts. 32 The women stated that recalling the images of the therapists who showed genuine interest in their health was very helpful for them to resist smoking temptations.…”

“…Only three studies of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention were identified, but none of these studies included WLHIV. [32][33][34] Two studies were conducted in the USA: one on Korean American women and the other one on general smokers in primary care clinics. 32,33 Both studies found no differences in videoconferencing and telephone counseling cessation interventions.…”

“…[32][33][34] Two studies were conducted in the USA: one on Korean American women and the other one on general smokers in primary care clinics. 32,33 Both studies found no differences in videoconferencing and telephone counseling cessation interventions. In the study with Korean American women, however, cotinine-confirmed abstinence rate was 10% higher among Korean women who received a videoconferencing intervention than among those who received a telephone counseling intervention (40% vs. 30%).…”