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Table 1 Detailed description of functions of the QUIT WeChat mini-program

From: Evaluation of an innovative mHealth-based integrated modality for smoking cessation in Chinese smokers: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Functions

Sub-functions

Description

Registration

Recording current smoking behavior

Record amount smoked, smoking duration, price of cigarettes, tar content of cigarettes, pattern of smoking behavior, etc

Recording past history of quit attempts

Record number and duration of past quit attempts

Testing the level of nicotine dependence

Provide a standardized test to help users assess their level of nicotine dependence

Assessing quitting readiness

Assess motivation to quit and the stage of smoking cessation

Facilitating action plan

Setting a quit date

Help users to set a quit date

Setting a plan for reducing smoking

Help users to set the daily maximum smoking consumption and the time between two cigarettes

Listing reasons for quitting

Let users write down the reasons for quitting smoking and display it on the home page of the mini-program

Resetting a quit plan

Encourage users to reset a quit date when they relapse

Recording quitting

Recording the duration of quitting

Prompt self-recording and displaying how many days the users not smoke

Providing rewards on quitting

Give users a virtual medal of different levels according to the duration of quitting

Sharing quitting achievements

Users could share their quitting achievements, including duration of quit smoking, the benefits from quitting, and the virtual medal obtained in the mini-program, to social media by an automatically generated picture

Benefits from quitting

Hazards reduced from quitting

Providing the information of reducing cigarettes and tar intake according to the number of quitting days and their previous daily cigarette consumption

Cost saving from quitting

Providing the information of cost saved from not smoking according to the number of quitting days and their previous daily expenditure on smoking

Health benefits from quitting

Providing the information of health benefits from not smoking according to the number of quitting days, such as the elimination of exhaled carbon monoxide

Coping with cravings

Recording smoking craving

Prompt self-recording the number of smoking cravings

Motivational messages

Providing motivational messages to help users overcome cravings

Coping toolkit

Providing skills to cope with cravings, including guiding relaxation and mindfulness exercises, challenging automatic thoughts, tips for coping with stress, etc

Reducing smoking

Calculator for daily smoking cigarettes

Calculating and displaying daily smoking cigarettes

Quitting diary

Recording smoking cues

Help users to record and identify smoking cues

Advising on changing routine

Advise users to change daily routines to minimize exposure to smoking cues

Quitting tasks

Setting graded tasks

Prompt users to complete online assessment questionnaires at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months after the quit date

Assessing smoking cessation progress

Give feedback arising from assessment of current self-reported behaviours and progress towards becoming a permanent non-smoker

Barrier identification and problem solving

Help users to identify the barriers (e.g. nicotine withdrawal symptoms, stress, etc.) that might make it harder to stay off cigarettes and provide personalized suggestions according to the barriers (e.g. how to deal with withdrawal symptoms, eliminate stress, and obtain social support, etc.)

Strengthening ex-smoker identity

Encourage those who have quit smoking to construct a new identity as never smokers

Preventing relapse

Provide users information about how relapses occur and to provide coping skills for preventing relapses

Medication reminder

Assessing medication(s) using experiences

Assess usage, side effects and benefits experienced of medication(s) that the smoker is currently using

Setting a medication use plan

Set the daily time and amount of medication use

Medication use reminder

Remind users to take medication on time

Additional supports

Quitline

Give information about tobacco quitline (400–888-5531), and develop the “One Click Call” function

Smoking cessation clinic

Provide online appointment of smoking cessation clinic

Online consultation

Provide the link of QUIT WeChat group to obtain real-time online consultation

Online self-help materials

Offer the link to QUIT WeChat official account to obtain online self-help materials for smoking cessation

Users Information

Quitting information

Such as duration of quitting and the number of attempts to quit

Motivation to quit

Reason for quitting smoking

Achievements

Virtual medals and accumulate points