BIPS Institute Seminar: Opportunities and challenges for smoking cessation apps

At the BIPS Institute Seminar, Felix Naughton discussed the potential and limitations of digital applications designed to support smoking cessation. His talk focused on how smoking cessation apps may help reduce the burden of disease, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where tobacco use continues to rise.

Naughton highlighted that smoking remains one of the leading modifiable contributors to disease, while the use of smoking cessation apps is increasing rapidly worldwide. Projections suggest that the number of users could grow to around 33 million annually between 2022 and 2026. Digital tools, he noted, offer the possibility of providing support at any time and place, with interventions tailored to individual needs and real-life contexts.

At the same time, Naughton outlined several key challenges that may limit the impact of these applications. These include generating robust evidence of effectiveness, ensuring that effective apps reach their intended target populations, and promoting sustained user engagement. Additional challenges discussed were accountability, relapse prevention, and addressing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

The talk also addressed emerging technological developments. Naughton described how advances in sensing technologies, artificial intelligence and hardware could further enhance digital support for smoking cessation. He also pointed to methodological innovations in study design as a way to gain deeper insights into the use and impact of smoking cessation apps.

Felix Naughton is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of East Anglia.