@Article{info:doi/10.2196/69771,
author="Alexander, Adam
and Businelle, Michael
and Cheney, Marshall
and Cohn, Amy
and McNeill, Lorna
and Short, Kevin
and Frank-Pearce, Summer
and Bradley, David
and Estrada, Kimberly
and Flores, Iv{\'a}n
and Fronheiser, Jack
and Kendzor, Darla",
title="An mHealth Intervention With Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation and Physical Activity Among Black Adults: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="JMIR Res Protoc",
year="2025",
month="Jan",
day="31",
volume="14",
pages="e69771",
keywords="African American; Black; mobile health; mHealth; smartphone app; smoking cessation; physical activity, mobile phone",
abstract="Background: Black adults in the United States experience disproportionately high rates of tobacco- and obesity-related diseases, driven in part by disparities in smoking cessation and physical activity. Smartphone-based interventions with financial incentives offer a scalable solution to address these health disparities. Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a mobile health intervention that provides financial incentives for smoking cessation and physical activity among Black adults. Methods: A total of 60 Black adults who smoke (≥5 cigarettes/d) and are insufficiently physically active (engaging in <150 min of weekly moderate-intensity physical activity) will be randomly assigned to either HealthyCells intervention (incentives for smoking abstinence only) or HealthyCells+ intervention (incentives for both smoking abstinence and daily step counts). Participants will use study-provided smartphones, smartwatches, and carbon monoxide monitors for 9 weeks (1 wk prequit date through 8 wk postquit date). Feasibility will be evaluated based on recruitment rates, retention, and engagement. The primary outcomes include carbon monoxide--verified, 7-day smoking abstinence at 8 weeks postquit date and changes in average daily step count. Feasibility benchmarks include a recruitment rate of ≥5 participants per month, a retention rate of ≥75{\%}, and a smoking abstinence rate of ≥20{\%} at 8 weeks postquit date. Expected increases in physical activity include a net gain of 500 to 1500 steps per day compared to baseline. Results: Recruitment is expected to begin in February 2025 and conclude by September 2025, with data analysis completed by October 2025. Conclusions: This study will evaluate the feasibility of a culturally tailored mobile health intervention combining financial incentives for smoking cessation and physical activity promotion. Findings will inform the design of larger-scale trials to address health disparities through scalable, technology-based approaches. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05188287; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05188287 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/69771 ",
issn="1929-0748",
doi="10.2196/69771",
url="https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e69771",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/69771",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39888657"
}