Public Health Sciences Division researchers have launched a new online study to help people quit smoking. The free WebQuit study is enrolling adult smokers nationwide with the goal of improving the effectiveness of online smoking-cessation programs.
Study director Dr. Jonathan Bricker, a clinical psychologist who specializes in smoking-cessation research, said online smoking-cessation programs are improving but still have a long way to go.
"That old Mark Twain quote, ‘Quitting smoking is easy—I've done it a thousand times’ unfortunately is still very true today despite the plethora of smoking-cessation methods available to people," said Bricker, part of the PHS Cancer Prevention Program. "But I think web-based interventions are the wave of the future, not only because they are generally cheaper than personal therapy but because as a culture we are becoming more reliant on the convenient do-it-yourself options we find online."
Study participants will not be paid, but they will receive interactive tools for dealing more effectively with urges to smoke. They also will receive step-by-step guides for quitting smoking, personalized plans for quitting permanently, and access to one-on-one expert help in quitting.
To enroll in the study or for more information, visit www.webquit.com.
