title: Feasibility and Smokers' Evaluation of Self-Generated Text Messages to Promote Quitting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality. Mobile technologies, including text messaging, provide opportunities to promote quitting. Many text messaging-based cessation interventions contain content created by experts. However, smokers may be best persuaded by receipt of text messages they created based on their reasons for quitting, assisted or not by a motivational facilitator. This study assessed the feasibility and participants' evaluation of two ways to self-generate smoking cessation messages delivered via cell-phone.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled smokers (N = 24) and randomized them to: (1) behavioral counseling assistance plus self-generated messages, or (2) self-generated messages only. Both groups wrote: (1) their reasons for wanting to quit and then (2) text messages related to their reason(s) for quitting, Messages were delivered as text messages as well as with a link to verbatim self-recorded audio message for 10 days. At follow-up, participants evaluated the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants composed and recorded messages and evaluated them and the intervention favorably. The counseling+message group wrote an average of 7.66 (SD = 4.86) text messages while the message-only wrote an average of 6.66 (SD = 2.93) messages. Most participants felt that the messages were of appropriate length, including the frequency and timing of message delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is feasible for smokers to self-generate motivational text and audio messages concerning reasons for quitting, even among smokers without an immediate desire to quit. Participants evaluated the messages and intervention favorably. Future research should test self-generated messages in larger trials of self- versus expert-generated message.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study assessed the feasibility and participants' evaluation of two ways to self-generate smoking cessation messages delivered via cell-phone. It is feasible for smokers to self-generate motivational text and audio messages concerning reasons for quitting, even among smokers without an immediate desire to quit. Participants evaluated the messages and intervention favorable. Future research should test self-generated messages in larger trials of self- versus expert-generated messages.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC; ryan.shaw@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC;
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC; Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC;
authors.forename: Leah L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zullig
authors.affiliation: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC;
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC;
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lipkus
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D003376:Counseling; D006801:Humans; D012648:Self Care; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*