Symptoms of cough and shortness of breath among occasional young adult smokers.

INTRODUCTION: The perception of negative health consequences is a common motive for quitting smoking, but specific information on the immediate health effects of occasional smoking among young adults is limited. METHOD: To examine the relationship between cigarette use and symptoms of (a) cough or sore throat and (b) shortness of breath or fatigue after regular activities among young adults, we performed online health screening of a random sample of 25,000 college undergraduates. The screening survey assessed demographic characteristics, smoking and related health behaviors, and respiratory symptoms in the previous 30 days. RESULTS: The response rate was 26% (6,492/25,000). Among individuals reporting no smoking in the prior 30 days and smoking on 1-4, 5-10, 11-20, or 21-30 days, the prevalence of one or more days of cough/sore throat increased from 62.5% to 68.3%, 72.0%, 71.4%, and 73.7%, respectively (p < .001). Similarly, the prevalence of shortness of breath/fatigue increased from 42.7% to 47.1%, 56.2%, 59.5%, and 64.6%, respectively (p < .001). After controlling for demographics, other important health behaviors (e.g., days consuming alcohol and getting adequate sleep), and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, reporting symptoms of cough/sore throat was associated with smoking on at least 21 days, whereas shortness of breath/fatigue was associated with smoking on 5 or more days. Among those reporting symptoms, increased number of days with respiratory symptoms was associated with smoking on most days as well as ETS exposure. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, this cross-sectional study found that occasional smoking and ETS exposure were associated with an increase in the rate of respiratory symptoms (cough/sore throat and shortness of breath/fatigue) among young adults.

Utilization of smoking cessation informational, interactive, and online community resources as predictors of abstinence: cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The association between greater utilization of Web-assisted tobacco interventions and increased abstinence rates is well recognized. However, there is little information on how utilization of specific website features influences quitting. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between utilization of informational, interactive, and online community resources (eg. bulletin boards) and abstinence rates, with the broader objective to identify potential strategies for improving outcomes for Web-assisted tobacco interventions. METHODS: In Spring 2004, a cohort of 607 quitplan.com users consented to participate in an evaluation of quitplan.com, a Minnesota branded version of QuitNet.com. We developed utilization measures for different site features: general information, interactive diagnostic tools and quit planning tools, online expert counseling, passive (ie, reading of bulletin boards) and active (ie, public posting) online community engagement, and one-to-one messaging with other virtual community members. Using bivariate, multivariate, and path analyses, we examined the relationship between utilization of specific site features and 30-day abstinence at 6 months. RESULTS: The most commonly used resources were the interactive quit planning tools (used by 77% of site users). Other informational resources (ie, quitting guides) were used more commonly (60% of users) than passive (38%) or active (24%) community features. Online community engagement through one-to-one messaging was low (11%) as was use of online counseling (5%). The 30-day abstinence rate among study participants at 6 months was 9.7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 7.3% - 12.1%). In the logistic regression model, neither the demographic data (eg, age, gender, education level, employment, or insurance status) nor the smoking-related data (eg, cigarettes per day, time to first morning cigarette, baseline readiness to quit) nor use of smoking cessation medications entered the model as significant predictors of abstinence. Individuals who used the interactive quit planning tools once, two to three times, or four or more times had an odds of abstinence of 0.65 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.22 - 1.94), 1.87 (95% CI 0.77 - 4.56), and 2.35 (95% CI 1.0 - 5.58), respectively. The use of one-to-one messages (reference = none vs 1 or more) entered the final model as potential predictor for abstinence, though the significance of this measure was marginal (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 0.92 - 3.97, P = .083). In the path analysis, an apparent association between active online community engagement and abstinence was accounted for in large part by increased use of interactive quitting tools and one-to-one messaging. CONCLUSIONS: Use of interactive quitting tools, and perhaps one-to-one messaging with other members of the online community, was associated with increased abstinence rates among quitplan.com users. Designs that facilitate use of these features should be considered.

The role of peer e-mail support as part of a college smoking-cessation website.

BACKGROUND: Helping young smokers to quit early in life substantially reduces the risk of later morbidity and mortality due to tobacco use. The RealU study demonstrated the efficacy of a smoking-cessation website for college students that incorporated both individually tailored feedback and peer e-mail support. The relationship between peer e-mail support and cessation outcomes among intervention participants is examined here. METHODS: This study was conducted at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities from Fall 2004 through Spring 2005. During the intervention period, peer-support students (E-pals) wrote weekly e-mails to intervention group participants (n=257) encouraging healthy behaviors including smoking abstinence. Ten survey items assessed perceived E-pal supportiveness. The number of e-mails replies sent by the participants to their E-pal was tracked as a measure of e-mail engagement. The primary outcome was self-reported 30-day abstinence at the end of the intervention period. RESULTS: Over the course of the intervention, participants sent an average of 4.6 (SD=3.6) e-mails to their E-pals. Perceived E-pal support was significantly correlated with e-mail engagement (p<0.001). At Week 30, 40.5% of individuals in the RealU intervention group (104/257) reported not smoking any cigarettes in the prior 30 days. Bivariate analyses indicated that 30-day abstinence was related to both perceived support from the E-pal (p<0.001) and e-mail engagement (p<0.001). Multivariate analyses indicated that after controlling for age and baseline-level smoking, e-mail engagement remained a significant predictor of 30-day abstinence (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Greater peer engagement via e-mail was associated with increased smoking abstinence and reduced frequency of smoking. These findings suggest that online peer support may be an important strategy when delivering Internet-assisted cessation programs to young adults.

A randomized trial of a pay-for-performance program targeting clinician referral to a state tobacco quitline.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco quitlines offer clinicians a means to connect their patients with evidence-based treatments. Innovative methods are needed to increase clinician referral. METHODS: This is a clinic randomized trial that compared usual care (n = 25 clinics) vs a pay-for-performance program (intervention) offering $5000 for 50 quitline referrals (n = 24 clinics). Pay-for-performance clinics also received monthly updates on their referral numbers. Patients were eligible for referral if they visited a participating clinic, were 18 years or older, currently smoked cigarettes, and intended to quit within the next 30 days. The primary outcome was the clinic's rate of quitline referral (ie, number of referrals vs number of smokers seen in clinic). RESULTS: Pay-for-performance clinics referred 11.4% of smokers (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.0%-14.9%; total referrals, 1483) compared with 4.2% (95% CI, 1.5%-6.9%; total referrals, 441) for usual care clinics (P = .001). Rates of referral were similar in intervention vs usual care clinics (n = 9) with a history of being very engaged with quality improvement activities (14.1% vs 15.1%, respectively; P = .85). Rates were substantially higher in intervention vs usual care clinics with a history of being engaged (n = 22 clinics; 10.1% vs 3.0%; P = .001) or less engaged (n = 18 clinics; 10.1% vs 1.1%; P = .02) with quality improvement. The rate of patient contact after referral was 60.2% (95% CI, 49.7%-70.7%). Among those contacted, 49.4% (95% CI, 42.8%-55.9%) enrolled, representing 27.0% (95% CI, 21.3%-32.8%) of all referrals. The marginal cost per additional quitline enrollee was $300. CONCLUSION: A pay-for-performance program increases referral to tobacco quitline services, particularly among clinics with a history of less engagement in quality improvement activities.

The RealU online cessation intervention for college smokers: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of providing online cessation intervention for college smokers. METHODS: This is a two-group randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received $10 weekly incentives to visit an online college life magazine that provided personalized smoking cessation messages and peer email support. Evaluation assessments occurred at baseline and 8, 20, and 30 weeks after enrollment. The primary outcome is self-reported 30-day abstinence at week 30. Carbon monoxide (CO) breath testing was performed for participants reporting 30-day abstinence at week 30. RESULTS: Five-hundred and seventeen college smokers at the University of Minnesota were enrolled via internet health screening (control=260, intervention=257) in the fall of 2004. Intervention participants completed an average of 18.9 (SD 2.5) of 20 weekly website visits over the course of the study. The rate of 30-day abstinence at week 30 was higher for the intervention compared to the control group (41% vs. 23%, p<0.001). CO testing showed low rates of under-reporting. There was no difference in self-reported 6-month prolonged abstinence measured at week 30. CONCLUSION: Providing personalized smoking cessation messages as part of a general interest online college life magazine increased 30-day abstinence by the end of this two semester intervention.

Feasibility of Internet health screening to recruit college students to an online smoking cessation intervention.

Internet-based cessation programs are promising. However, little information exists on how to recruit college smokers to participate in online interventions. Two studies assessed the feasibility of Internet health screening as a recruitment strategy for college smokers. The Internet Survey Study compared Internet (n = 735), mail (n = 1,490), and phone (n = 550) surveys as means to identify college smokers. The RealU Recruitment Study described the use of an Internet-based general health screening survey (N = 25,000) to recruit for an online cessation trial. The Internet Survey Study showed that, despite large differences in response rates (Internet = 38%, mail = 47%, phone = 90%; p<.001), the rates of past-month tobacco use were similar (Internet = 35%, mail = 38%, phone = 34%; p = .35). Among past-month users, a greater proportion reported daily use on the Internet (33%) and phone (37%) surveys versus the mail survey (23%, p = .007). In the RealU Recruitment Study, 517 college smokers were recruited in 1 week. The Internet survey response rate was 26%, the prevalence of current smoking was 29%, the eligibility rate was 87%, and the enrollment rate was 32% (517/1,618). Internet health screening can be used to quickly identify and enroll large numbers of college smokers in an online smoking cessation intervention.

Strategies for increasing adherence to an online smoking cessation intervention for college students.

High rates of Internet use among young adults make online intervention with this population particularly attractive. However, low adherence rates limit the exposure to and the potential effectiveness of these programs. This study identifies strategies for increasing adherence by examining the rates of participation for a 5-week beta (pilot) version and final version of the RealU Web site, an online intervention for college smokers. Three modifications from the beta to the RealU Web site were (a) changing format from a smoking cessation Web site to an online college life magazine, (b) providing proactive peer e-mail support, and (c) adopting a more linear site structure. Participants were recruited via Internet health screening and received US$10 for completing weekly study activities. Enrollment among eligible smokers was higher for the beta compared with the RealU intervention (47/69, 68.1% vs. 517/1618, 32.0%, p<.001), but participants did not differ in terms of age, gender, or past 30-day cigarette or alcohol use. Participation fell sharply during the beta test (53% in week 1 to 26% by week 5) compared with the RealU average of 95% (range 89% to 98%). Participation during each study's final week was much higher in the RealU (93% week 20) compared with the beta (26% week 5, p<.001). After 5 weeks, self-reported 30-day abstinence was higher for RealU intervention participants (16.0%) compared with the beta participants (4.3%, p=.03). The modifications from the beta to RealU Web site described above resulted in high rates of sustained participation over 20 weeks.

The notion of time in symptom experiences.

BACKGROUND: The experience of unpleasant sensations associated with the presence of symptoms prompts self-care or help seeking to obtain explanations for the symptoms, manage emotional responses, or obtain treatment for symptom alleviation and elimination. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to summarize and comment on three existing symptom theories, with special attention to temporal factors. METHODS: Existing theories are synthesized as the time dimensions of symptom experiences and symptom management processes are elucidated. Clinical examples and findings from empirical studies illustrate critical points. DISCUSSION: Existing theories describing the symptom experience and the process of symptom management refer implicitly to the role of time or use limited dimensions of time. Symptom experiences in time (SET) theory is proposed as a synthesis and extension of existing theories. The SET theory conceives the symptom experience as a flow process that explicitly incorporates temporal dimensions. Four dimensions of time are recognized: clock-calendar, biologic-social, perceived, and transcendent time. The four temporal dimensions are placed against a backdrop of "meaning-in-time" that brings forth the potential for transformation in a symptom experience. Increasing sophistication in design, measurement, and data analysis is required to test and evaluate SET theory-based propositions. CONCLUSIONS: The SET theory extends previous work by incorporating multiple temporal dimensions that reflect the human experience of health and illness manifested in the expression and management of symptoms.