Presenting and evaluating a smartwatch-based intervention for smoking relapse (StopWatch): feasibility and acceptability study

Abstract

Background: despite the benefits of smoking cessation, maintaining abstinence during a quit attempt is difficult, and most attempts result in relapse. Innovative, evidence-based methods of preventing relapse are needed. We present a smartwatch-based relapse prevention system that uses passive detection of smoking to trigger just-in-time smoking cessation support. 

Objective: this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of hosting just-in-time smoking cessation support on a smartwatch and the acceptability of the “StopWatch” intervention on this platform.

Methods: the person-based approach for intervention development was used to design the StopWatch smoking relapse prevention intervention. Intervention delivery was triggered by an algorithm identifying hand movements characteristic of smoking from the smartwatch’s motion sensors, and the system-generated intervention messages (co-designed by smokers) were delivered on the smartwatch screen. A total of 18 smokers tested the intervention over a 2-week period, and at the end of this period, they provided qualitative feedback on the acceptability of both the intervention and the smartwatch platform. 

Results: participants reported that the smartwatch intervention increased their awareness of smoking and motivated them to quit. System-generated intervention messages were generally felt to be relevant and timely. There were some challenges with battery life that had implications for intervention adherence, and the bulkiness of the device and the notification style reduced some participants’ acceptability of the smartwatch platform.

Conclusions: our findings indicate our smoking relapse prevention intervention and the use of a smartwatch as a platform to host a just-in-time behavior change intervention are both feasible and acceptable to most (12/18, 66%) participants as a relapse prevention intervention, but we identify some concerns around the physical limitations of the smartwatch device. In particular, the bulkiness of the device and the battery capacity present risks to adherence to the intervention and the potential for missed detections. We recommend that a longer-term efficacy trial be carried out as the next step.

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