TY  - JOUR
AU  - Alexander, Adam
AU  - Businelle, Michael
AU  - Cheney, Marshall
AU  - Cohn, Amy
AU  - McNeill, Lorna
AU  - Short, Kevin
AU  - Frank-Pearce, Summer
AU  - Bradley, David
AU  - Estrada, Kimberly
AU  - Flores, Iván
AU  - Fronheiser, Jack
AU  - Kendzor, Darla
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/1/31
TI  - An mHealth Intervention With Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation and Physical Activity Among Black Adults: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
JO  - JMIR Res Protoc
SP  - e69771
VL  - 14
KW  - African American
KW  - Black
KW  - mobile health
KW  - mHealth
KW  - smartphone app
KW  - smoking cessation
KW  - physical activity, mobile phone
AB  - 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 
SN  - 1929-0748
UR  - https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e69771
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/69771
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39888657
DO  - 10.2196/69771
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/69771
ER  -