Check out this infographic summarizing the design and testing process of StopMySmoking
A lot of quitting aids are already out there, so why did we decide to develop StopMySmoking, a text messaging-based quit program?
Well, for one thing: many quitting aids out there are not exactly user friendly. Some are expensive, others are disruptive – especially with your social life, and then there are the ones that are hard to get or use. The truth is: many quitting aids aren’t really made with young adult smokers in mind.[1]
We know that over half of young adult smokers want to quit and that young people are more likely than older adult smokers to try quitting.[1]
So when we thought about how widely used cell phones are – seems like almost everyone has a cell phone[2] and texts[3] – we realized we could create a program tailor-made for the busy young adult. Text messaging allows us to reach people during the ups and downs of their quitting process. Messages give encouragement, helpful reminders, and useful info just when you need it.
Most people read texts as soon as they receive them[4], so using StopMySmoking is easy. All you have to do is keep your phone with you and read your texts like you normally do.
Life has unexpected moments. Sometimes, you need in-the-moment support to get you through tough times. That’s why we offer Quit Buddies, a buddy-up system that pairs you with someone else in the quitting process; and Text Crave, which instantly sends you advice and support whenever and wherever you need it. You can also go back and reread your favorite StopMySmoking texts whenever you need them.[4]
Before we launched the program, we wanted to make sure that StopMySmoking actually works. So, we tested it out with young adults. As it turns out, people who used StopMySmoking were three times as likely to have stopped smoking 4 weeks later than those not in the program. Almost everyone said that the program made them feel supported.[5] Three in four found that the messages spoke to the feelings they had during the quitting process and seven in ten found that StopMySmoking made quitting smoking a lot easier![5] More than three-fourths of our participants said they would recommend the program to their friends. So, if you haven’t signed up already, we recommend StopMySmoking to you too! If you have more questions about StopMySmoking.com, Quit Buddies, or Text Crave, be sure to check our FAQ page or contact us at our Support page.
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[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quitting Smoking Among Adults — United States, 2001-2010. MMWR 2011;60(41): 1513-1519. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6044a2.htm
[2] Rainie L, Pew Research Center. Cell phone ownership hits 91% of adults. 2013, Jun 6. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/06/cell-phone-ownership-hits-91-of-adults/
[3] Pew Research Center. Texting Is Nearly Universal Among Young Adult Cell Phone Owners. 2012, Dec 14. http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/texting-is-nearly-universal-among-young-adult-cell-phone-owners/
[4] Ybarra ML. Cell Phone Text Messaging Connecting Clients with Treatment Support Services. Presented at: 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association; August 12, 2010, San Diego, CA. http://innovativepublichealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/APA_2010_San-Diego-CA1.pdf
[5] Ybarra ML. Designing a Text Messaging-Based Behavior Change Program. Presented at: Medicine 2.0; September 15, 2012, Boston, MA. http://innovativepublichealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Medicine-2.0_2012_Boston-MA.pdf