Smoking Cessation Mobile Interventions in Latin America: A Systematic Review

Objective: To systematically review published articles reporting the use of smoking cessation mobile health (mHealth) interventions in Latin America. Methods: Five different databases were searched from database inception to 2020. Criteria: (1) the research was a smoking cessation randomized controlled trial (RCT), quasi-experimental research, or single-arm study; (2) the intervention used at least one type of mHealth intervention; (3) the research was conducted in Latin American; and (4) the research reported the cessation rate. Results: Of the seven selected studies, four were conducted in Brazil, two in Mexico, and one in Peru. Only one study was an adequately powered RCT. Interventions relied on text messages ( n = 3), web-based tools ( n = 2), and telephone calls ( n = 3). Some studies ( n = 4) provided pharmacotherapy support. Smoking cessation outcomes included self-reported ( n = 5) and biochemically verified ( n = 2) abstinence. Follow-ups were conducted at Month 6 ( n = 2), Week 12 ( n = 4), and Day 30 ( n = 1). Cessation rates varied from 9.4% at Week 12 to 55.5% at Day 30. Conclusion: Despite the promising cessation rates of mHealth interventions in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, there is a need to rigorously evaluate these interventions in different Latin American countries with RCTs that are long-term, adequately powered, and use biochemical verification of cessation.

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A Digital Smoking Cessation Program for Heavy Drinkers: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

JMIR Formative Research ◽

10.2196/formative.7570 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. e7570 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christopher W Kahler ◽

Amy M Cohn ◽

Catherine Costantino ◽

Benjamin A Toll ◽

Nichea S Spillane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Text Messages ◽

Smoking Cessation Program ◽

Web Based ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

To Receive ◽

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Heavy drinking (HD) is far more common among smokers compared with nonsmokers and interferes with successful smoking cessation. Alcohol-focused smoking cessation interventions delivered by counselors have shown promise, but digital versions of these interventions—which could have far greater population reach—have not yet been tested. Objective This pilot randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and effect sizes of an automated digital smoking cessation program that specifically addresses HD using an interactive web-based intervention with an optional text messaging component. Methods Participants (83/119, 69.7% female; 98/119, 82.4% white; mean age 38.0 years) were daily smokers recruited on the web from a free automated digital smoking cessation program (BecomeAnEX.org, EX) who met the criteria for HD: women drinking 8+ drinks/week or 4+ drinks on any day and men drinking 15+ drinks/week or 5+ drinks on any day. Participants were randomized to receive EX with standard content (EX-S) or an EX with additional content specific to HD (EX-HD). Outcomes were assessed by web-based surveys at 1 and 6 months. Results Participants reported high satisfaction with the website and the optional text messaging component. Total engagement with both EX-S and EX-HD was modest, with participants visiting the website a median of 2 times, and 52.9% of the participants enrolled to receive text messages. Participants in both the conditions showed substantial, significant reductions in drinking across 6 months of follow-up, with no condition effects observed. Although smoking outcomes tended to favor EX-HD, the condition effects were small and nonsignificant. A significantly smaller proportion of participants in EX-HD reported having a lapse back to smoking when drinking alcohol (7/58, 16%) compared with those in EX-S (18/61, 41%; χ21=6.2; P=.01). Conclusions This is the first trial to examine a digital smoking cessation program tailored to HD smokers. The results provide some initial evidence that delivering such a program is feasible and may reduce the risk of alcohol-involved smoking lapses. However, increasing engagement in this and other web-based interventions is a crucial challenge to address in future work. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03068611; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03068611

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Nesting Expectations: What Can the Mexican and Argentinean Cash Transfers Tell Us about the Development of Development?

Anthropologica ◽

10.3138/anth.591.a04 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

pp. 157-169

Author(s):

Andrés Dapuez

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Latin American ◽

A Priori ◽

Cash Transfers ◽

Conditional Cash Transfers ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Short Term ◽

Transfer Programs

Latin American cash transfer programs have been implemented aiming at particular anticipatory scenarios. Given that the fulfillment of cash transfer objectives can be calculated neither empirically nor rationally a priori, I analyse these programs in this article using the concept of an “imaginary future.” I posit that cash transfer implementers in Latin America have entertained three main fictional expectations: social pacification in the short term, market inclusion in the long term, and the construction of a more distributive society in the very long term. I classify and date these developing expectations into three waves of conditional cash transfers implementation.

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Patient Education and Sacubitril/Valsartan: A Randomized Comparative Trial

Hospital Pharmacy ◽

10.1177/0018578721999808 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001857872199980

Author(s):

Christopher Giuliano ◽

Bradley St. Pierre ◽

Jamie George

Keyword(s):

Controlled Trial ◽

Comparative Trial ◽

Text Messages ◽

Phone Call ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Short Term ◽

Phone Calls ◽

Video Education ◽

Pharmacist Education

Objective: To compare video to pharmacist education for patients taking sacubitril/valsartan. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing video to pharmacist education with a second randomized intervention of education delivered through text or phone call at 14 days. The primary outcome compared the change in short term knowledge between groups and the secondary outcome was long term knowledge at 1 month. Results: Forty-three patients were included. Scores improved significantly ( P < .05) in the pharmacist group from 54.1% to 85.9% and from 64.3% to 86.1% in the video education group, although there was no difference between groups (31.8% vs 22.9%, P = .13). At 30 days, scores were significantly higher than baseline (difference 16.5%, P < .05) although did decrease from the posttest (difference 7.4%, P < .05). There was no difference at 30 days between those that received text messages versus phone calls (−10% vs −5.5%, respectively; P = .36). Conclusion: We saw improvements in both short term and long term knowledge for patients receiving education through pharmacist or video education. Neither approach was more effective than the other. Clinicians can use either approach based on patient preference.

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Latin America: Reduced S&T Investment Puts Sustainable Development at Risk

10.14293/s2199-1006.1.sor-.ppbpkuj.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pablo Bolaños-Villegas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Latin America ◽

Human Resources ◽

Latin American ◽

Extreme Case ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Science Technology ◽

The Face ◽

Social Turmoil

Latin America is home to more than 600 million people and has considerable natural and human resources. However, investment in science and technology (S&T) lags far behind that in developed countries. This gap represents a barrier to the development of economies based on knowledge and hampers the region's ability to tackle environmental and social problems. This lack of investment is evident in the extreme case of Venezuela, where much of the science workforce has fled economic chaos, but also in every Latin American country, including science powers such as Brazil and Argentina, where federal budgets in science, technology and education have been drastically reduced in recent years. Investments in S&T foster cooperation, commerce and good will and enhance resilience in the face of environmental and social turmoil. Therefore, scientists must start to actively engage governments and encourage long-term spending in S&T to support the development of Latin American societies.

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Predictors of long-term smoking cessation in patients with COPD: results from a randomised controlled trial

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.00561-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 1700561 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eva A.M. van Eerd ◽

Onno C.P. van Schayck ◽

Geertjan Wesseling ◽

Daniel Kotz

Keyword(s):

Smoking Cessation ◽

Randomised Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Randomised Controlled

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Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial Using Best-Selling Smoking-Cessation Book

Ear Nose & Throat Journal ◽

10.1177/014556131709600701 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 96 (7) ◽

pp. 258-263

Author(s):

James P. Foshee ◽

Anita Oh ◽

Adam Luginbuhl ◽

Joseph Curry ◽

William Keane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Smoking Cessation Counseling ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Quit Smoking ◽

Stop Smoking ◽

Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Our prospective, randomized, controlled trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the self-help book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, by Allen Carr, in promoting smoking cessation in patients with head and neck cancer. We assessed active smokers for their willingness to read a smoking cessation book. Participants were randomized to either receive the book from our department or recommended to purchase the book. All patients received smoking cessation counseling at recruitment. Phone surveys were conducted at short- and long-term intervals to determine if the patients had purchased and/or read the book and whether they were still smoking. One hundred twelve patients were recruited, 52 of whom completed follow-up surveys. Those who received the book for free were more likely to read the book (p = 0.05). Reading the book did not correlate with successful smoking cessation (p = 0.81). Some 26% of the 27 patients who received the book quit smoking compared with 32% of the 25 patients who were recommended the book (p = 0.76). Patients who indicated motivation to quit smoking were more likely to succeed. In our study, smoking cessation did not appear to be influenced by reading The Easy Way to Stop Smoking. Despite 80.8% of the cohort indicating at least a readiness to quit smoking at recruitment, only 28.8% of patients managed to achieve successful smoking cessation at long-term follow-up. Patient motivation remains an important factor in achieving long-term smoking abstinence. Quitting smoking remains a daunting challenge for patients, with multiple interventions likely needed to achieve cessation.

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Lung function and respiratory symptoms in a randomized smoking cessation trial of electronic cigarettes

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20160268 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 130 (21) ◽

pp. 1929-1937 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Fabio Cibella ◽

Davide Campagna ◽

Pasquale Caponnetto ◽

Maria Domenica Amaradio ◽

Massimo Caruso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smoking Cessation ◽

Lung Function ◽

Respiratory Symptoms ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Substantial Reduction ◽

Cigarette Consumption ◽

Phenotype Classification ◽

Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is the most important step smokers can take to improve their health. Nonetheless, there is little information on long-term improvements in lung function and/or respiratory symptoms after smoking cessation. Here we illustrate long-term changes in spirometric indices as well as in respiratory symptoms in smokers invited to quit or reduce their cigarette consumption by switching to electronic cigarettes (ECs). Prospective evaluation of cigarette consumption, spirometry and symptoms was performed in a 1-year randomized controlled trial of smokers receiving EC containing 2.4%, 1.8% or 0% nicotine. Spirometric data are presented on the basis of participants’ pooled continuous smoking phenotype classification (Quitters, Reducers, Failures), whereas respiratory symptoms on the basis of their point prevalence-smoking phenotype. Smoking phenotype classification (Quitters, Reducers, Failures) had no significant effect on spirometric indices (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) with the exception of FEF25–75%, which significantly (P =0.034) increased over the time among Quitters; their FEF25–75% (% predicted) improving from (means±S.D.) 85.7±15.6% at baseline (BL) to 100.8±14.6%. High prevalence of cough/phlegm (43.1%) and shortness of breath (SoB; 34.8%) was reported at BL with substantial reduction in their frequency at subsequent follow-up visits. These symptoms virtually disappeared very quickly in both quitters and reducers. Smokers invited to switch to ECs who completely abstained from smoking showed steady progressive improvements in their FEF25–75%. Normalization of peripheral airways function was associated with improvement in respiratory symptoms, adding to the notion that abstaining from smoking can reverse tobacco harm in the lung.

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