The clinical trial compared two different smartphone tobacco cessation apps: Smart-T, which was developed by OU researchers, and QuitGuide, a product of the National Cancer Institute.

Smart-T is designed to gauge users’ risk of smoking throughout the day and to respond in real time with custom messages depending on what people are experiencing. QuitGuide is a static app that allows users to track their cravings and provides tips for resisting the urge to smoke. After six months of using the apps, those who used Smart-T were nearly twice as likely to have quit smoking than those who used the QuitGuide app.

“Smart-T is like having a tobacco cessation counselor in your pocket. While a combination of behavioral counseling and medication is the most effective way to quit smoking, in-person counseling may not be practical for everyone, especially those facing barriers like transportation or busy schedules. With Smart-T, our motivation is to make the app comparable to standard counseling treatments,” said the study’s lead author, Emily Hébert, DrPH, a member of the TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and an assistant professor of family and preventive medicine in the OU College of Medicine.