Contingency Management to Promote Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Novel approaches are needed to engage people who smoke in treatment in a way that increases their odds of quitting. Contingency management (CM) interventions provide financial incentives to participants contingent on objective evidence of behavior change and are effective in enhancing medication adherence and treatment engagement for numerous health conditions, including tobacco dependence treatment. Critical gaps, however, remain in our knowledge regarding how best to deploy CM.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of combined CM for engaging patients in smoking cessation treatment. Participants (N=20) will receive "CounsCM" for engaging in five quitline calls and "MedCM" for utilizing varenicline over twelve weeks. CM payments will be automated and dispensed on a daily basis using a reloadable debit card. The investigators will use surveys and structured interviews to understand strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Inclusion criteria

• Smoked in the past 30 days
• Smoke at least 1 cigarette per day when they smoke
• ≥ 18 years old
• Kansas resident
• Speak/read English
• Access to a mobile phone
• Mobile phone receives text messages
• No varenicline contraindications (no acute renal impairment)
• Have no significant co-morbidity (i.e., life-threatening illness, communication barriers or altered mental status)
• Cognitively able to participate
• Physically able to participate
• Not pregnant/breastfeeding

Exclusion criteria

• Medically ineligible for varenicline
• Patient on smoking cessation medication within 2 weeks of admission date
• Patient already talked to quitline in the past 2 weeks.
• Patients participating in other quit smoking program or research study