Diffusion of an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention through facebook: A randomized controlled trial

N.K. Cobb, M.A. Jacobs, P. Wileyto, T. Valente and A.L. Graham

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 6, 1130-1135

Abstract: Objectives. To examine the diffusion of an evidence-based smoking cessation application ("app") through Facebook social networks and identify specific intervention components that accelerate diffusion. Methods. Between December 2012 and October 2013, we recruited adult US smokers ("seeds") via Facebook advertising and randomized them to 1 of 12 app variants using a factorial design. App variants targeted components of diffusion: duration of use (t), "contagiousness" (β), and number of contacts (Z). The primary outcome was the reproductive ratio (R), defined as the number of individuals installing the app ("descendants") divided by the number of a seed participant's Facebook friends. Results. We randomized 9042 smokers. App utilization metrics demonstrated between-variant differences in expected directions. The highest level of diffusion (R = 0.087) occurred when we combined active contagion strategies with strategies to increase duration of use (incidence rate ratio = 9.99; 95% confidence interval = 5.58, 17.91; P

Keywords: adult; advertising; confidence interval; controlled clinical trial; diffusion; factorial design; friend; human; incidence; major clinical study; plant seed; randomized controlled trial; smoking cessation; social network; controlled study; evidence based practice; female; health promotion; Internet; male; mass communication; procedures; social media, Adult; Diffusion of Innovation; Evidence-Based Practice; Female; Health Promotion; Humans; Internet; Male; Smoking Cessation; Social Media (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303106_7

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303106

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