Smoking Reduction and Cessation Interventions for Chinese

The objective of the study is to document and systematically investigate the use of smoking reduction and cessation strategies targeting Chinese American smokers at various level of readiness to quit smoking.

Using a randomized controlled study design, the experimental intervention will be compared to a control group that will receive the expert system intervention only at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. The primary aim is to test the following hypotheses:

• Participants receiving the experimental intervention will be more likely to achieve at least a 50% reduction from baseline at 3-month (end of treatment), 6- and 12-month follow-up than participants in the control condition.
• Participants receiving the experimental intervention will be more likely to report a 24- hour quit attempt at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up.
• Participants receiving the experimental intervention will be report a longer length of abstinence in their quit attempts at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up.
• The experimental condition will yield a higher rate of smoking abstinence at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up.

The secondary aim is to examine the feasibility of the proposed intervention which will be assessed by recruitment efficiency, refusal rates, adherence, usage, safety data, and perceived helpfulness of the intervention components. In addition, analyses will be pursued to explore both short- and long-term maintenance of smoking reduction achieved, the association between smoking reduction and changes in self-efficacy of resisting from smoking, stage movements (changes in readiness for quitting), and the use of coping strategies for smoking at follow-ups. The study will provide important empirical data for developing effective smoking cessation strategies that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the Chinese American population.

Inclusion criteria

• Self-identified ethnic Chinese men and women
• 18 years or older
• report smoking cigarettes daily with at least 5 cigarettes per day in the last 7 days
• reside in California
• be able to read written English or Chinese

Exclusion criteria

• Currently engaging in assisted smoking cessation efforts
• Have health conditions that have contraindications of using nicotine replacement treatment (NRT) such as pregnancy, within 6 months post MI, severe or unstable angina