Tobacco Quit Line Re-enrollments for the Underserved

Overview

The purpose of this proposed study is to develop, refine and test the use of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology as a means of increasing re-engagement of low income smokers in telephone support for tobacco cessation (quit lines). If this strategy proves to be acceptable and feasible, it may offer a technological solution to increase access to and utilization of a widely available evidence-based form of behavioral treatment for low income smokers. The primary aims of this research are to: 1. Develop an IVR system that delivers tailored audio messages to increase low income smokers' re-engagement in treatment offered by two state quit lines (Washington and Indiana). The investigators will develop: a) a menu of audio messages that can be delivered by an IVR system; b) an IVR algorithm (i.e., a set of decision rules) to make proactive automated calls to deliver brief, tailored messages for re-engaging low income smokers who previously used the quit line. 2. Evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an IVR system as a tool to re-engage low income smokers into quit line treatment measured by number of IVR calls answered, number of smokers who re-engage in treatment and satisfaction with IVR calls. Hypothesis 2.1 - It is hypothesized that the rates of re-engagement into treatment among those receiving the IVR intervention will be higher than smokers not proactively invited to re-engage in quit line services.

We propose a randomized controlled trial to compare re-engagement into quit line treatment between low income smokers receiving IVR intervention to re-engage into treatment through quit line services and those receiving usual care (no intervention to re-engage). Subjects will be recruited from two state quit lines (Washington (WA) and Indiana (IN)). WA and IN were selected because they both contract with Free \& Clear for quit line services and have supported research collaborations in the past. Both states have agreed to participate in this study. Three thousand subjects will be randomized to the intervention or usual care prior to entry into the IVR calling database. This sampling frame was defined based in our past research experience in using similar method to re-engage low income smokers from ethnic populations and assumed a high proportion of invalid phone numbers and difficulties on successfully reaching individuals even after several call attempts. In our previous re-engagement study, 29% of the phone numbers provided by quit line users were invalid 12 months later and 38% of the subjects were never reached after five attempted calls. Therefore, in this study we are anticipating successfully reaching 30% of the sample. This is a feasibility study and the main outcome is re-engagement into treatment, measured by re-enrollment into quit line support after receiving the IVR intervention. Process measures are IVR calls answered and satisfaction with IVR calls. Thirty-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months after intervention will be also measured, as a way to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of this intervention. The target population of this study is low income smokers, defined as being a Medicaid recipient or uninsured by the time of their first enrollment into quit line treatment. This working definition for eligibility criterion was chosen because health insurance status is routinely assessed in the provision of quit line services and it is a good proxy indicator of income.