A Culturally Tailored Smartphone Application for African American Smokers

The overall objectives of this research proposal, are to (a) create a smartphone application for smoking cessation (i.e., HealthyCells), which will be achieved by integrating two pre-existing evidence-based smartphone interventions, (b) create culturally tailored treatment content (i.e., messages, images, and videos) for African American smokers, and (c) evaluate the feasibility of HealthyCells at addressing smoking and sedentary behavior among African Americans. A pilot sample of African American smokers (N = 15) will briefly use the HealthyCells app and provide critical feedback through semi-structured interviews to refine the smartphone intervention. Once the HealthyCells app is refined, African Americans (N = 30) who are interested in quitting smoking will use the app during a scheduled quit attempt. Starting on the scheduled quit date, HealthyCells will prompt participants to complete twice-daily remote smoking status assessments to earn rewards for abstinence. The app will deliver real-time messages telling participants to stand up and move around during prolonged bouts of sedentary behavior (i.e., ≥ 30 minutes of uninterrupted time spent in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture). Participants will also have on-demand access to culturally tailored information and strategies for remaining abstinent and reducing sedentary behavior within the HealthyCells app. The primary outcomes will be biochemically confirmed point prevalence smoking abstinence at 8 weeks post-quit date, and the difference in sedentary time 7 consecutive days before quitting compared with 7 consecutive days at 8-weeks post-quit, as measured by a research-grade accelerometer.