MOBILE HEALTH INTERVENTIONS FOR SMOKING CESSATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE

Mateusz Balicki; Marta Krężołek; Julia  Dobrowolska; Kornel  Pawlak; Marcin  Stępiński; Paula Kaczmarczyk; Alicja  Palus; Oliwia  Zynek; Tomasz Arkuszyński; Filip  Kamyszek

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5721

Authors

Mateusz Balicki Corten Dental Medical Center, Dental Clinic, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5066-9645
Marta Krężołek Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3646-5640
Julia Dobrowolska Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9498-9521
Kornel Pawlak Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6435-6587
Marcin Stępiński Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5878-6293
Paula Kaczmarczyk CITODENT Dental Center, Oława, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6099-5657
Alicja Palus PRODENTAL Private Dental Clinic – Joanna Bronowska, Legionowo, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7462-6893
Oliwia Zynek Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5537-565X
Tomasz Arkuszyński Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4894-361X
Filip Kamyszek Corten Dental Medical Center, Dental Clinic, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2767-8215

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5721

Keywords:

Mobile Health, Smoking Cessation, Smartphone Applications, Digital Interventions, User Engagement, Behavior Change

Abstract

Mobile health (mHealth) interventions, including smartphone applications and SMS-based programs, have emerged as widely used tools for smoking cessation [12,27]; however, their clinical effectiveness remains inconsistent across studies [1,5,8]. This narrative literature review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the effectiveness of mHealth interventions for smoking cessation, with particular emphasis on clinical outcomes, user engagement, and underlying behavioral mechanisms. A literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies evaluating mobile or app-based cessation interventions. A total of 27 studies, including randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews, were included and analyzed using thematic synthesis.

The findings indicate that mHealth interventions are often associated with higher abstinence rates compared to control conditions [3,19], with reported quit rates ranging from 9% to 30% [3,19], although results are heterogeneous and not consistently significant [1,5,8]. Increased user engagement is frequently linked to improved adherence and, in some cases, better cessation outcomes [2,25]; however, this relationship is not uniformly observed [2,8]. Behavioral components, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and coping strategies, are commonly integrated but demonstrate variable effectiveness [3,14,15]. Similarly, app features, user experience, and population-specific adaptations contribute to engagement but show inconsistent associations with clinical outcomes [1,5,21].

Overall, the evidence suggests that mHealth interventions offer potential benefits for smoking cessation, yet their effectiveness appears to depend on the interaction between user characteristics, engagement patterns, and intervention design rather than any single component. These findings highlight the need for more standardized and methodologically robust research to clarify the determinants of success and bridge the efficacy-effectiveness gap in digital smoking cessation.

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