Trial of an on-line behavioral smoking cessation program

摘要

The majority of smokers wish that they were nonsmokers, but very few seek help to quit smoking, despite their inability to quit alone. An on-line behavioral program was offered over EIES, a computerized communications system, to reach these smokers with personalized treatment which was tailored to each participant, and which permitted the participants and psychologist to interact. At the end of treatment, 35.7% of the 28 participants were abstinent. Three months later, 25% were abstinent. The smokers who succeeded tended to be the lightest smokers whose craving for cigarettes when not smoking was the least pronounced. It appears that the on-line system could effectively extend the reach of face-to-face treatments.