Financial Incentives for Homeless Smokers: A Community-based RCT (NCT04445662) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Financial Incentives for Homeless Smokers: A Community-based RCT
United States184 participantsStarted 2021-06-10
Plain-language summary
This community-based randomized controlled trial will test the effect of contingent financial rewards on smoking abstinence among homeless-experienced adult cigarette smokers. Participants will be recruited from 3 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program locations: a shelter clinic, a day center clinic, and a medical center clinic. All participants will be offered a varenicline prescription and tobacco coaching. Incentive arm participants will receive escalating financial rewards for saliva cotinine levels \<30 ng/ml, assessed 10 times over 12 weeks. Embedded qualitative interviews will explore the mechanisms of on-treatment and post-treatment effects of financial incentives on smoking abstinence in the context of homelessness.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Age ≥18 years old
* Lifetime smoker of ≥100 cigarettes with current daily smoking of ≥5 cigarettes per day, verified by a saliva cotinine level of ≥30 ng/mL
* Ready to try quitting smoking within the next 3 months
* Proficient in English
* Currently or formerly homeless
* Have a primary care provider within BHCHP system
Exclusion Criteria:
* Unable to provide informed consent
* History of allergic reaction to varenicline
* Currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
* Past-month suicidal ideation with plan or intent, or past 12-month history of suicidal behaviors or attempts
* Psychiatric hospitalization in the past 3 months
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Cotinine-verified 7-day Smoking Abstinence at 12 Weeks