Development and Pilot Testing of the Sense2Quit App

About the Study

The objective of this pilot randomized clinical trial  is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the Sense2Quit app as a tool for people living with HIV who are motivated to quit smoking. Participants come into the study office at Columbia University School of Nursing for baseline, 4-week follow-up and 12-week follow-up appointments. At each visit, exhaled carbon monoxide is measured through use of the Smokerlyzer, and participants complete a survey.

In this in-person study, participants are randomized to one of two groups: the intervention arm or the control arm. Participants in the intervention arm receive access to the Sense2Quit app and a smartwatch. In the Sense2Quit app, participants can view their smoking trends, which are recorded through their use of the smartwatch, including how often or how much they smoke and the amount of money that they are spending on cigarettes, watch videos with quitting tips, information, and distractions, play Pac-Man and Tedroid (a game similar to Tetris), set reminders, and communicate with a study team member. Intervention arm participants also receive an 8-week supply of combination nicotine replacement therapy. Control participants receive a referral to New York State quitline. Participants receive up to $180 throughout the study period.

For Participants 

  • List inclusion criteria
    • People living with HIV confirmed through medical records or pill bottles for antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications.
    • Aged 18 years or older.
    • Able to understand and read English.
    • Current smoker (smokes at least five cigarettes per day for the past 30 days).
    • Owns an Android smartphone.
    • Not pregnant or breastfeeding (due to contraindications for nicotine replacement therapy [NRT]).
    • Permanent contact information.
    • Interested in quitting smoking within 30 days.
    • Exhaled carbon monoxide ≥5 ppm (parts per million) at baseline.
  • Exclusion Criteria
    • Use of tobacco products other than cigarettes (ie, vapes, electronic cigarettes [e-cigarettes], cigars, piped tobacco, chew, and snuff).
    • Planning to move within 3 months of enrollment.
    • Alcohol dependence as measured through the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise (AUDIT-C).
    • Positive history of a medical condition that precludes nicotine patch use.
    • Current use of NRT or other smoking cessation medications (eg, Chantix or Zyban).
    • Current enrollment in another smoking cessation program
    • A household member is also participating in the Sense2Quit study, as it can lead to study contamination.

For Researchers

More information can be found on ClinicalTrials.Gov

Contact Us 

Development and Pilot Testing of the Sense2Quit App
516 W 168th St. 2nd Fl.
New York, NY 10032
United States