An innovative smoking cessation program using Facebook reaching 7´000 Swiss smokers
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1
Carrefour addictionS, CIPRET-Geneva, Switzerland
2
CIPRET Valais, Switzerland
3
Ibrid Communication, Switzerland
4
Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Tobacco Control Fund, Switzerland
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A879
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ABSTRACT
Background:
Tobacco smoking causes multiple diseases, premature mortality and is a major
public health threat. In Switzerland, smoking prevalence is high (25%) but stable
since 2011. Half of smokers want to quit but they underuse effective smoking
cessation services. Programs using social networks are a new smoking cessation
approach potentially able to reach many smokers. We designed, implemented and
tested an innovative large-scale smoking cessation program using Facebook for 7
months in 2016 in 4 states of Switzerland.
Methods:
7008 smokers were enrolled within 2 months through
Facebook advertising. The program created 4 communities of smokers of each
state interacting on a Facebook page. 2400 Facebook publications, which
triggered 67000 comments, stimulated interaction. After a 3-week preparation
providing information and advice, all participants quit smoking together on
March 21, 2017. Then, they received mutual support from peers and professional help
daily during 6 months. Professional support included 3 levels: community
managers watching and regulating the activity; counsellors providing
personalised smoking cessation counselling; physicians providing personalised
counselling for complex and medical issues. Personalised counselling at 2nd
and 3rd levels included help for cessation plans, relapse prevention
strategies and use of nicotine replacement. Evaluation surveys were conducted
at 1 week, 3 and 6 months among 1270 participants, of whom 37% responded.
Results:
81% of participants attempted to stop smoking. At 6 months,13.5% reported
total smoking abstinence while 19% were trying to quit despite occasional
consumption. Smoking cessation was not associated with socio-demographic
factors. The community dynamics, a strong intention to quit and relapse
prevention strategies predicted success while high nicotine dependence, exposure
to smokers and negative affect were negative predictors.
Conclusions:
A large-scale smoking cessation program using Facebook,
providing mutual and professional support seems effective to reach large numbers
of smokers, stimulate smoking cessation attempts and promote smoking abstinence
at 6 months.