SBIR-STTR Award

The purpose of the project is to determine the cost-effectiveness, the acceptability, and commercial applications of an interactive computer-mediated smoking cessation program delivered online through an established international computer network. The intent is to make readily available to the growing numbers of individuals and groups who have access to personal computers at home, schools, hospitals, and work an inexpensive, effective smoking cessation program. Phase I results are expected to prove the cost-effective and client-acceptability information necessary to pursue the research and development into Phase II. Positive results in Phase I would dictate broader trials in Phase II in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, group practices, and corporations.Successful results in Phases I and II would have important implications for the feasibility of providing both commercial and noncommercial clinical and human services through computer networks on an international scale.National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute

During the Phase II grant period, Behavioral Health Systems will further test, refine, and market a unique smoking cessation program that is capable of reaching the majority of smokers-those who would like to quit smoking, but feel unable to quit and do not want to attend traditional, face-to-face smoking cessation programs. The program uses interactive computer software and computer conferencing to deliver an online, personalized program to smokers. The participants can access the program at any time and are able to communicate via computer conferencing with the other participants and with those who run the program, The program will be distributed as computer diskettes for popular personal computers.Phase II will compare the impact of personalized smoking cessation instructions alone, the computer conferencing part of the program alone, the two aspects of the program together, and a minimum treatment condition. The software, as well as providing access to the stop-smoking computer conferencing network, will be marketed to individuals and groups who have access to personal computers at home, schools, and at work. The privacy, affordability, convenience, and clinical effectiveness of the program may make it commercially viable in today's software market. If so, the combination of interactive software and computer conferencing may also be a useful ingredient in many other health promotion campaigns.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)