Developing and evaluating an e-cigarette cessation intervention (NAUGHTONF_U23FMH) at University of East Anglia on FindAPhD.com

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Dr Felix Naughton No more applications being accepted Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Norwich United Kingdom Health Psychology

About the Project

Background: E-cigarettes are effective for helping people to stop smoking tobacco and consequently UK public health guidance promotes their use for tobacco cessation. However, we do not yet know how to support people to stop using e-cigarettes and a substantial minority of people who stop using tobacco by using e-cigarettes continue to use e-cigarettes long term. Some evidence indicates that long term use of e-cigarettes may increase users’ risk of relapsing back to tobacco, compared to people who do not use e-cigarettes long term, but this is not yet clear. Studies have also shown that most ex-smokers who use e-cigarettes would like to stop.

Research methodology: Project aims are: (1) review the literature to identify the risk of relapse back to tobacco among ex-smokers who use e-cigarettes long term and identify predictors of relapse; (2) investigate user experiences of long-term vaping, including relapse back to tobacco and attempts to stop using e-cigarettes, and explore e-cigarette cessation support preferences; (3) develop an e-cigarette cessation intervention, potentially via smartphone-based behavioural support, and evaluate its feasibility and acceptability in a mixed methods evaluation study. The project would provide the opportunity to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis, a qualitative interview study, develop a behaviour change intervention and undertake a mixed methods evaluation study.

Training: Evidence synthesis, qualitative methods and analysis, mixed methods, statistical analysis including meta-analysis, intervention development and evaluation, writing for publication, thesis preparation, dissemination, and personal and professional development.

Person specification: We are seeking a student with a good first degree (at least 2:1) and preferably a Masters in a related topic area (e.g., health psychology, public health, social science, research methods) or equivalent research experience. The student will have an interest in behaviour change, relevant research methods and data analysis, and will be committed and self-directed

Funding Notes

This PhD project is in a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences competition for funded studentships. These studentships are funded for 3 years and comprise UK fees, an annual stipend of £17,668 and £1,000 per annum for research training (RTSG). Overseas applicants (including EU) may apply but are required to fund the difference between Home and International tuition fees.

References

Hartmann-Boyce J, McRobbie H, Butler AR, Lindson N, Bullen C, Begh R, Theodoulou A, Notley C, Rigotti NA, Turner T, Fanshawe TR, Hajek P. Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;9(9):CD010216. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub6.
Dai H, Leventhal AM. Association of electronic cigarette vaping and subsequent smoking relapse among former smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019;199:10-17. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.01.043.
Jahnel T, Ferguson SG, Partos T, Brose LS. Socioeconomic differences in the motivation to stop using e-cigarettes and attempts to do so. Addict Behav Rep. 2020;11:100247. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100247
Naughton F, Jamison J, Boase S, Sloan M, Gilbert H, Prevost AT, Mason D, Smith S, Brimicombe J, Evans R, Sutton S. Randomized controlled trial to assess the short-term effectiveness of tailored web- and text-based facilitation of smoking cessation in primary care (iQuit in practice). Addiction. 2014;109(7):1184-93. doi: 10.1111/add.12556.
Graham AL, Amato MS, Cha S, Jacobs MA, Bottcher MM, Papandonatos GD. Effectiveness of a Vaping Cessation Text Message Program Among Young Adult e-Cigarette Users: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2021;181(7):923-930. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.1793.

Where will I study?

University of East Anglia

We’re one of the UK’s leading research institutions, ranked 10th in the UK for the quality of our research outputs and with more than 1,500 research students.