Showing smokers with vascular disease images of their arteries to motivate cessation: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the potential impact of visual personalized biomarker feedback on intention to stop smoking and to evaluate possible underlying causal pathways.


METHODS
This study is a pilot for a randomized controlled trial. Outcome measures were assessed immediately after the intervention and at 4 weeks follow-up.


METHODS
Twenty-three smokers attending a cardiovascular outpatient clinic in London were randomly allocated to one of two groups: to either receive a print-out of an ultrasound image of their carotid artery showing atherosclerotic plaque alongside an image of a disease-free artery, or to receive routine verbal feedback.


RESULTS
The intervention significantly increased perceptions of susceptibility to smoking-related diseases (Cohen's h=0.99) and led to increases both in engagement in smoking cessation behaviours (Cohen's h=0.79) and intentions to stop smoking (Cohn's d=0.44). The latter was moderated by self-efficacy: the intervention increased intention to stop smoking only in people with higher levels of self-efficacy with regard to stopping smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides preliminary support for the potential effectiveness of personalized biomarker feedback to increase intentions to stop smoking. It also highlights the need to target and increase self-efficacy in smoking cessation interventions.
Shahab
Lion
L
Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK. lion.shahab@ucl.ac.uk
Hall
Sue
S
Marteau
Theresa
T
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014463:Ultrasonography