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Smartphone Apps Targeting Youth Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation: An Assessment of Credibility and Quality

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The goals of this study were to identify smartphone apps targeting youth tobacco use prevention and/or cessation discussed in the academic literature and/or available in the Apple App Store and to review and rate the credibility of the apps. We took a multiphase approach in a non-systematic review that involved conducting parallel literature and App Store searches, screening the returned literature and apps for inclusion, characterizing the studies and apps, and evaluating app quality using a standardized rating scale.

Recent Findings

The negative consequences of youth tobacco use initiation are profound and far-reaching. Half of the youth who use nicotine want to quit, but quit rates are low. The integration of smartphone apps shows promise in complementing and enhancing evidence-based youth tobacco prevention and treatment methods.

Summary

Consistent with prior reviews, we identified a disconnect between apps that are readily accessible and those that have an evidence base, and many popular apps received low quality scores. Findings suggest a need for better integration between evidence-based and popular, available apps targeting youth tobacco use.

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Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by grants K01DA048135 (LM), U54HL120163 (JLH), 20YVNR35500014 (JLH), K01CA253235 (JKJ), R01ES030743 (EMMG), R01ES027815 (EMMG), and R34AT010365 (KAG). The funding sponsors had no role in study design; data collection, analyses, or interpretation; manuscript preparation; or the decision to publish the results. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding sponsors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA

    Lauren Micalizzi

  2. Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA

    Delvon T. Mattingly

  3. Center for Health Equity Transformation, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA

    Delvon T. Mattingly

  4. Department of Communication and Christina Lee Brown Environme Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    Joy L. Hart

  5. Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Jessica King Jensen

  6. Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, Johnson Medical School,, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Jessica King Jensen

  7. Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA

    E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens

  8. Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Kathleen A. Garrison

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  1. Lauren Micalizzi
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Consortia

on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine, Tobacco (SRNT) Adolescent Network

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. All authors were involved in the literature and App Store searches and app review. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Drs. LM and KG. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lauren Micalizzi.

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Micalizzi, L., Mattingly, D.T., Hart, J.L. et al. Smartphone Apps Targeting Youth Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation: An Assessment of Credibility and Quality. Curr Addict Rep 10, 649–663 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00524-0

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