Apps for smoking cessation through cognitive behavioural therapy. A review

Abstract

Smoking is a health and economic problem that is difficult to eradicate. Nicotine addicts also often suffer from psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. The recommended treatment according to clinical practice guidelines (CPG) is Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT), alone or combined with medication. Currently, health-related apps (m Health) enable wider availability and access to this treatment. The objectives of this study are to carry out a review of the smoking cessation apps that apply CBT and to describe the techniques used by them. Following the PRISMA framework, the databases EBSCOhost, Cochrane, Web of Science and Scopus were searched for publications between 2010-2019. Four hundred fifteen studies were found and, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only five articles were eligible for systematic review. Only three apps were identified as using CBT, and the techniques most commonly used were the recording of smoking history, progress visualised through graphics, psycho-educational videos, motivation, social support through social media, and elements of gamification to reinforce adherence and abstinence behaviour. The results recommend the inclusion of smoking behaviour analysis in these types of apps, as not all of them do so, as well as an interface between the health professionals and the users to provide a personalised treatment.