Role of mobile phone technology in tobacco cessation interventions.

The health benefits of tobacco cessation are well established [1]. Cessation is a key element within the World Health Organization’s (WHO) MPOWER strategies (Monitoring tobacco consumption and the effectiveness of preventive measures; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use; Warn about the dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; and Raise taxes on tobacco) that are intended to assist in the country-level implementation of WHO’s Framework Convention for Tobacco Control guidelines. The potential impact of cessation interventions in lowand middle-income countries is considerable given the large numbers of tobacco users and relatively low quit rates when compared with high-income countries [2]. Traditional tobacco cessation programs include both population-based and individual strategies. Research evidence supports the effectiveness of clinic-based tobacco cessation interventions such as physician-delivered tobacco cessation advice [3], group therapy [4], individual counseling [5], selfhelp materials [6], telephone counseling [7], and nicotine replacement therapy [8]. However, these strategies are found to be resource-intensive, requiring dedicated professional support and participant adherence. In addition, these methods cover only a small group of the smoking population. Systematic reviews have identified community-based interven-