Background

Particularly in groups of adolescents with lower educational level the smoking prevalence is still high and constitutes a serious public health problem. There is limited evidence of effective smoking cessation interventions in this group. Individualised text messaging (SMS) based interventions are promising to support smoking cessation and could be provided to adolescents irrespective of their motivation to quit. The aim of the current paper is to outline the study protocol of a trial testing the efficacy of an SMS based intervention for smoking cessation in apprentices.

Methods/Design

A two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial will be conducted to test the efficacy of an SMS intervention for smoking cessation in adolescents and young adults compared to an assessment only control group. A total of 910 daily or occasional (≥ 4 cigarettes in the preceding month and ≥ 1 cigarette in the preceding week) smoking apprentices will be proactively recruited in vocational school classes and, using school class as a randomisation unit, randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 455) receiving the SMS based intervention or an assessment only control group (n = 455). Individualised text messages taking into account demographic data and the individuals' smoking behaviours will be sent to the participants of the intervention group over a period of 3 months. Participants will receive two text messages promoting smoking cessation per week. Program participants who intend to quit smoking have the opportunity to use a more intensive SMS program to prepare for their quit day and to prevent a subsequent relapse. The primary outcome measure will be the proportion of participants with 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence assessed at 6-months follow-up. The research assistants conducting the baseline and the follow-up assessments will be blinded regarding group assignment.

Discussion

It is expected that the program offers an effective and inexpensive way to promote smoking cessation among adolescents and young adults including those with lower educational level and independent of their motivation to quit.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN: ISRCTN19739792

Background

Forming specific health plans can help translate good intentions into action. Mobile text reminders can further enhance the effects of planning on behavior.

Objective

Our aim was to explore the combined impact of a Web-based, fully automated planning tool and mobile text reminders on intention to change saturated fat intake, self-reported saturated fat intake, and portion size changes over 4 weeks.

Methods

Of 1013 men and women recruited online, 858 were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 conditions: a planning tool (PT), combined planning tool and text reminders (PTT), and a control group. All outcome measures were assessed by online self-reports. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data.

Results

Participants allocated to the PT (meansat urated fat 3.6, meancopingplanning 3) and PTT (meansaturatedfat 3.5, meancopingplanning 3.1) reported a lower consumption of high-fat foods (F 2,571 = 4.74, P = .009) and higher levels of coping planning (F 2,571 = 7.22, P < .001) than the control group (meansat urated f at 3.9, meancopingplanning 2.8). Participants in the PTT condition also reported smaller portion sizes of high-fat foods (mean 2.8; F 2, 569 = 4.12, P = .0) than the control group (meanportions 3.1). The reduction in portion size was driven primarily by the male participants in the PTT (P = .003). We found no significant group differences in terms of percentage saturated fat intake, intentions, action planning, self-efficacy, or feedback on the intervention.

Conclusions

These findings support the use of Web-based tools and mobile technologies to change dietary behavior. The combination of a fully automated Web-based planning tool with mobile text reminders led to lower self-reported consumption of high-fat foods and greater reductions in portion sizes than in a control condition.

Trial Registration

International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 61819220; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN61819220 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/63YiSy6R8)

Background. Vaccination effectively prevents seasonal influenza. To promote vaccination adherence, it is necessary to understand the motivational process that underlies vaccination behavior. This was examined along with the moderating influence of past behavior on intention formation. Methods. German employees (N = 594) completed questionnaires at baseline and at 7-month followup. Regression analyses were conducted for mediation and moderated mediation. Results. Intention at Time 1 mediated the effect of risk perception, and positive and negative outcome expectancies on Time 2 vaccination. Past behavior moderated this effect: there was a mediation effect for risk perception and outcome expectancies only for those individuals who did not participate annually. Conclusions. Risk perception and outcome expectancies influenced intentions to receive vaccination, which in turn predicted participation. Hence, these social-cognitive variables could be targeted in vaccination campaigns to increase intentions. However, vaccination experience affected the formation of intentions and should be accounted for when developing interventions.

Physical activity has a high prevention potential in adolescents. This study investigated the relations between physical activity and intention, autonomous regulation, and planning. We hypothesized that planning mediates the relationship between intention and behavior and that this mediation should depend on the level of autonomous regulation. Stratified randomization sampling method was administered to assemble a sample of N = 534 students among two schools in China. To test the hypothesis, autonomous regulation, intention, and physical activity were assessed at baseline as well as planning and follow-up physical activity four weeks after the pretest. A moderated mediation model confirmed that planning mediated the intention-behavior relation with the effect of planning being moderated by autonomous regulation. Study results demonstrated that autonomous regulation facilitated the translation of intention into behavior change via planning. To promote physical activity among adolescents, interventions targeting planning and autonomous regulation might facilitate successful translation of intentions into behavior change.

Background

Co-occurrence of different behaviors was investigated using the theoretical underpinnings of the Transtheoretical Model, the Theory of Triadic Influence and the concept of Transfer.

Purpose

To investigate relationships between different health behaviors' stages of change, how behaviors group, and whether study participants cluster in terms of their behaviors.

Method

Relationships across stages for different behaviors were assessed in three studies with N = 3,519, 965, and 310 individuals from the USA and Germany by telephone and internet surveys using correlational analyses, factor analyses, and cluster analyses.

Results

Consistently stronger correlations were found between nutrition and physical activity (r = 0.16–0.26, p < 0.01) than between non-smoking and nutrition (r = 0.08–0.16, p < 0.03), or non-smoking and physical activity (r = 0.01–0.21). Principal component analyses of investigated behaviors indicated two factors: a “health-promoting” factor and a “health-risk” factor. Three distinct behavioral patterns were found in the cluster analyses.

Conclusion

Our results support the assumption that individuals who are in a higher stage for one behavior are more likely to be in a higher stage for another behavior as well. If the aim is to improve a healthy lifestyle, success in one behavior can be used to facilitate changes in other behaviors—especially if the two behaviors are both health-promoting or health-risky. Moreover, interventions should be targeted towards the different behavioral patterns rather than to single behaviors. This might be achieved by addressing transfer between behaviors.

Objective

Stage assessments are examined to develop and test refined measurements that can be used for classifying individuals.

Design

Stages were assessed in 1,850 persons in terms of their physical activity and dietary behaviors.

Main Outcome Measures

Stages for both behaviors were compared to behavior and other test variables. Misclassification, sensitivity, specificity, receiver-operation-curves, and discontinuity patterns were computed. Discontinuity patterns were tested with trends across stages and planned contrasts between adjacent stages.

Results

In comparison to previous studies, sensitivity (70% to 80%) and specificity (80% to 87%) were high. When using lower level criteria (such as less intensive activity), sensitivity was lower, whereas specificity was higher. When behavioral maintenance was assessed, results suggested that the temporal cut-off point between action and maintenance was equally optimal at different cut-off points. Applying contrast analyses, nonlinear trends across the stages and a match of 87% of predictions of stage differences resulted.

Conclusion

Stage assumptions are supported in general, and refined stage assessment in particular. Levels of psychological variables (e.g., easiness, habit) may discriminate stages as well as or even better than temporal stage definitions.