A tailored digital behaviour change intervention with e-referral system to increase attendance at NHS Stop Smoking Services (The MyWay Project): study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial

Fulton, Emily A.; Newby, Katie; Gokal, Kajal; Kwah, Kayleigh; Schumacher, Lauren; Jackson, Louise J.; Naughton, Felix; Coleman, Tim; Brown, Katherine E.

Abstract

Introduction:
In the UK, smokers who use Stop Smoking Services (SSS) are four times more likely to stop smoking than smokers who do not. Attendance has declined, warranting the development of interventions to address this. StopAppTM is a novel, brief online behaviour change intervention designed to address common barriers to SSS attendance. It links to widely commissioned service management software which enables instant appointment booking at a user’s location and time of choice.

Methods and analysis:
A two-arm parallel group individual participant randomised feasibility RCT of StopAppTM (intervention) compared with standard promotion of and referral to SSSs (control). The study includes a nested qualitative process evaluation to assess the acceptability of the research processes, with a sub-sample of participants. Smokers aged over 16 years will be recruited via three routes: GP practices, community settings and online. After consenting and the collection of baseline data, participants will be randomised to control or intervention groups. Participants in the intervention group receive a link to StopAppTM and those in the control group receive standard web-based information about the SSS. All participants are told they can book a SSS appointment but are under no obligation to do so. Online follow-up 2 months post randomisation includes data on SSS use and carbon monoxide verified 4 week quit rates. The study aims to recruit 162 smokers.

Ethics and dissemination:
Ethics approval has been granted by the West Midlands - Edgbaston NHS Research Ethics Committee. The findings will be reported in conferences and peer-reviewed publications; and will be used to design the parameters necessary for a definitive trial to ascertain the effectiveness of StopAppTM at increasing booking and attendance at SSSs compared with existing methods for encouraging uptake.

Trial Registration:
Research Registry: 3995. Trial Registered 18th April 2018.

Citation

Fulton, E. A., Newby, K., Gokal, K., Kwah, K., Schumacher, L., Jackson, L. J., …Brown, K. E. (2019). A tailored digital behaviour change intervention with e-referral system to increase attendance at NHS Stop Smoking Services (The MyWay Project): study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial. BMJ Open, 9(4), Article e028721. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028721

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 30, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Apr 8, 2019
• Publication Date: Apr 8, 2019
• Deposit Date: Mar 5, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 6, 2019
• Journal: BMJ Open
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-6055
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: e028721
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028721
• Keywords: Randomised controlled trial; Smoking cessation; Stop smoking services; Behaviour change; Digital intervention
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1607672
• Publisher URL: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/4/e028721
• Contract Date: Mar 6, 2019