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Adapting a behavioural support intervention for smokeless tobacco cessation in South Asians

We now have a stop smokeless tobacco app - please see below.

Smokeless tobacco (SLT) is a product containing tobacco, placed in the mouth or nose but not burned at the time of use. Consumed worldwide, a wide variety of SLT products are available, which are chewed, sucked or applied to gums and teeth. Its use is particularly common among people of South Asian origin including those living in the UK. Research shows that behavioural support helps people who are addicted to smokeless tobacco to quit. However, this research, mainly conducted in the US and European populations, is of little relevance to South Asians who use more addictive and hazardous products.

A bespoke Behaviour Change Intervention (BCI) was developed to help South Asians quit smokeless tobacco. The BCI was piloted in Pakistan and in the UK among SLT users and also for the feasibility of delivery by the providers. This project was funded by the MRC Public Health Interventions Development Scheme (PHIND). The project is led by Kamran Siddiqi.

The BCI resource consists of a practice manual and interactive slides. The interactive slides provide a set of different scenarios using photographic materials inviting a dialogue between the provider and the SLT user. Overall, activities within the BCI include raising awareness of the harms of SLT use and benefits of quitting, boosting clients’ motivation and self-efficacy, and developing strategies to manage their triggers, withdrawal symptoms, and relapse should that occur.

As part of this project, a digital app was also developed for use by providers to support their clients, for quitting SLT use. The app ‘Stop Smokeless Tobacco’ is made available for free by clicking on the links in the 'app' section below.

Funder(s):

MRC Public Health Intervention Development (PHIND)
Start Date: April 2014
End Date: September  2015

Public Health and Society Research in the Department of Health Sciences