Aims
To determine whether web-based tailored cessation advice, based on social cognitive theory and the perspectives on change model, was more effective in aiding a quit attempt than broadly similar web-based advice that was not tailored.
Design
Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups, to receive either a cessation advice report and progress report that were tailored to individual-level characteristics or a cessation advice report that presented standardised (non-tailored) content. Tailoring was based on smoking-related beliefs, personal characteristics and smoking patterns, self-efficacy and outcome expectations.
Setting
Participant enrolment and baseline assessments were conducted remotely online via the study website, with the advice reports presented by the same website.
Participants
Participants (N=1758) were visitors to the QUIT website who were based in the UK, aged 18 years or over and who smoked cigarettes or hand-rolled tobacco.
Measurements
Follow-up assessments were made at 6 months by telephone interview. The primary outcome measure was self-reported 3 months prolonged abstinence, and secondary outcomes were 1 month prolonged abstinence, 7 day and 24 hour point prevalence abstinence.
Findings
The intervention group did not differ from the control group on the primary outcome (9.1% vs. 9.3%; OR=1.02 95%CI 0.73 to 1.42) or on any of the secondary outcomes. Intervention participants gave more positive evaluations of the materials than control participants.
Conclusions
A web-based intervention that tailored content according to smoking-related beliefs, personal characteristics and smoking patterns, self-efficacy and outcome expectations, was not more effective than web-based materials presenting broadly similar non-tailored information.