The Development of a Context Aware Smoking Cessation app (QSense)

Authors

  • F. Naughton
  • N. Lathia
  • B. Brafman-Price
  • C. Mascolo
  • A. McEwen
  • S. Sutton

Abstract

Background: Context aware smartphone apps for behaviour change have become a reality due to a rapidly growing smartphone market and the presence of sensors on smartphones as standard. Aim: to describe the development of a novel smartphone sensing smoking cessation app (QSense). Methods: The development of QSense has been informed by: a) a sparse literature on how smokers’ cravings are cued by contextual triggers, b) the tailored message libraries from two theory-guided tailored SMS text message support systems for smoking cessation (MiQuit and iQuit), c) early piloting work, d) a qualitative study using data assisted interviews of smokers who have tested out the app. Findings: This system has been designed to deliver real-time behavioural support triggered by a smoker’s proximity to a pre-identified high risk location for a cue-induced craving episode. However, there are many challenges to developing context-aware eHealth behaviour change interventions to avoid user disengagement. Discussion: New clinical and theoretical insight is required to inform the next generation of digital interventions which promise context awareness.

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Published

2014-12-01

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Section

Poster presentations