title: Combined Quitline Counseling and Text Messaging for Smoking Cessation: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study seeks to determine whether comprehensive quitline services combined with text messaging improve smoking cessation rates beyond those achieved by offering comprehensive quitline services alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consisted of callers to the Alere Wellbeing, Inc, commercial quitline in 2012. A quasi-experimental design was implemented using propensity score matching to create the intervention and control groups. The intervention group consisted of those who were offered and accepted a text message intervention in addition to usual quitline services, while the control group consisted of those who were not offered the text message intervention. Analyses utilized baseline data collected at intake, program use data (eg, call history and text message use), and reports of smoking behaviors and program satisfaction collected 6 months after intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Similar rates of 7-day abstinence were reported regardless of whether participants received combined multi-call quitline services plus text messaging (25.3%) or multi-call quitline services in isolation (25.5%), though those who received combined services reported higher treatment satisfaction (P < .05). Among those who received combined services, the number of text messages sent to the text message program predicted 7-day abstinence such that those who sent more text messages were less likely to report 7-day abstinence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Text messaging may not confer additional benefits over and above those received through multi-modal, multi-call quitline programs. Future research should investigate whether text messaging programs improve quit rates when combined with less intensive services such as single-call phone counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the impact of quitline and text messaging services for smoking cessation have been examined in isolation, no study has explored the impact of combined services on smoking outcomes. This study examines the role of text messaging in combination with comprehensive quitline services including multi-call phone counseling, access to an interactive website and nicotine replacement therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Community Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC; aboal@wested.org.
authors.forename: Ashley L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Boal
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Community Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC;
authors.forename: Lorien C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Abroms
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, George Washington University, Washington, DC;
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simmens
authors.affiliation: Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies, American Legacy Foundation, Washington, DC; Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center / Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC;
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Research, Training and Evaluation Services, Alere Wellbeing, Inc, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Kelly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Carpenter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D057216:Propensity Score; D012107:Research Design; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D060145:Text Messaging