Incorporating Financial Incentives to Increase Smoking Cessation Among Asian Americans Residing in New York City

Incorporating Financial Incentives to Increase Smoking Cessation Among Asian Americans Residing in New York City: A Feasibility Study

Financial incentives for motivating health change have been increasingly employed in various healthcare sectors. They can be a potentially effective approach to promote smoking behavioral change and increase the use of evidence-based counseling and pharmacotherapy. Smoking cessation randomized clinical trials (RCT) incorporating financial incentives have been conducted in different populations; however, there has not been a randomized clinical trial coupled with a financial incentive with Asian American cigarette smokers. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility of implementing an incentivized smoking cessation program among Asian American smokers in New York City.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Asian American
• current smoker who smokes at least 10 cigarettes daily (verified by a CO level of 8 ppm or above)
• New York City resident
• able to complete three month follow-up assessments in person, can provide a telephone number
• declining the use of Chantix for smoking cessation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• <18 years old
• pregnant
• cannot provide a telephone number, non-smokers or smokers that smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes daily, users of e-cigarettes or other tobacco products who are not interested in quitting smoking, marijuana users
• not a New York City resident
• unable to complete three month follow-up assessment in person
• unable to provide written consent
• agree to use Chantix for smoking cessation.