Grant Number:	1R01CA301535-01A1 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Bricker, Jonathan
Organization:	Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Project Title:	QUITQUEST: Full Scale Randomized Trial of a Novel Smartphone Application to Help Teens Stop Vaping
Fiscal Year:	2026

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT (DESCRIPTION) Despite recent declines, 8.5% of middle school (grades 6-8) and 18.1% of high school (grades 9-12) students in the United States use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). ENDS use leads to severe asthma attacks, e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), exposure to multiple lung irritants, and lasting harm to brain development. Despite the harms attributable to ENDS use, to date there have been limited evidence-based therapeutic options for ENDS cessation for adolescents. Needed now is an accessible and efficacious intervention designed to help adolescents stop ENDS use. Traditional methods for delivering adolescent ENDS cessation interventions (e.g., quitlines and clinics) have limited reach. A smartphone application (“app”) could address the ENDS cessation access need by providing a widely accessible intervention designed for adolescents. Our team developed and beta tested an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)- based smartphone app called “QuitQuest” for adolescents who use ENDS. We conducted a pilot RCT of QuitQuest for ENDS cessation among a diverse group of 50 adolescents (50% minority race/ethnicity; residing in 23 US states; ages 13-17). Participants were randomized to either QuitQuest or the National Cancer Institute (NCI)’s Smokefreeteen Quit Vaping (SFTQV) app. Adolescents assigned to QuitQuest were significantly more engaged, as evidenced by their app utilization metrics: (1) longer time spent in each app session (26.6 minutes for QuitQuest vs. 7.3 minutes for SFTQV; P = .02); (2) a higher total number of app sessions completed (11.2 vs. 4.1 sessions; P = .01). Results suggested higher 30-day point prevalence abstinence from ENDS at the 12- week follow-up for QuitQuest (31.2%) as compared to SFTQV (23.5%), though the pilot was not powered to detect significant differences in quit rates. Building on these encouraging results for QuitQuest and the knowledge gaps on the efficacy of digital interventions to help adolescents stop ENDS use, the study aims are: Refinement Aim. (1) Refine QuitQuest in response to our trial participants’ feedback, (2) evaluate prototypes of these refinements, and (3) assess the refined version of QuitQuest through a seven-day user-experience diary study. Efficacy Aim. Determine whether QuitQuest (n = 536) has significantly higher biochemically verified 30- day point prevalence abstinence than SFTQV (n = 536) at 6 months post-randomization. We will explore (1) the potential mediating role of key ACT processes of acceptance and values enactment, and (2) the potential moderating role of key baseline factors. Dissemination Aim. (1) Evaluate QuitQuest’s reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance using the RE-AIM framework, and (2) conduct interviews with trial participants and stakeholders in ENDS control to identify barriers and facilitators to dissemination of QuitQuest to adolescents. This project will advance scientific knowledge about the efficacy of digital interventions for helping adolescents quit ENDS. Positive results would provide a highly accessible and efficacious intervention with potential for sustainability and broad dissemination of QuitQuest to adolescents nationwide.





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