Earn Money Using Your Mobile Device to Quit Smoking

Darla Kendzor, Ph.D., Co-Director of the TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC), wants to help those who would like to quit smoking but may have barriers that prevent them from being successful. Treatment costs and travel restrictions are obstacles that many may experience when trying to quit smoking. Kendzor has developed an innovative method to effectively tackle these issues and promote smoking cessation.

“Our smartphone-based approach to rewarding smoking cessation allows us to reach people with effective intervention regardless of their proximity to our clinic. This approach will allow individuals to earn money for smoking cessation without requiring in-person attendance for abstinence verification,” Kendzor explained.

Research has shown that offering monetary incentives for quitting smoking can dramatically increase smoking cessation rates among adults, especially when incentives are paired with clinic-based treatment. However, many adults are unable or unwilling to attend regular clinic visits, particularly those who live in rural areas; thus, innovative approaches are needed to reach people outside of the clinic setting.

“Our smartphone app will allow participants to provide breath samples to verify smoking abstinence, and facial recognition software will be used to verify participant identity when they provide breath samples,” said Kendzor. Incentives will be automatically added to the participant’s reloadable credit card when smoking abstinence and identity are verified.

This study will recruit and enroll 532 individuals. Participants must be at least 18 years of age to participate and meet other eligibility criteria. No office visits are required, as participants will receive counseling by telephone and nicotine replacement therapy by mail at no cost.

This innovative study could potentially increase the reach of effective smoking cessation intervention to those who need it most.

Interested individuals may take a short survey to see if they qualify. The survey can be found at https://redcap.link/prevailgo3. Potential participants may also call (405) 271-QUIT, visit 271quit.com, or contact ttrp@ouhsc.edu

The TSET HPRC and its researchers are committed to addressing the health and social consequences that affect Oklahomans, ensuring all residents achieve positive health and social outcomes.

This research was primarily supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant R01CA251451. The HPRC receives funding from OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center via an NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA225520) and the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust contract R23-02.