Smoking Cessation With Wearables to Improve General, Oral Health and Quality of Life

Plain-language summary

Tobacco smoking remains one of the leading preventable causes of disease, disability, and premature death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use is responsible for more than eight million deaths each year globally, including deaths caused by direct smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking is a major risk factor for a wide range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, several types of cancer, and numerous oral health conditions. In addition to systemic effects, tobacco use is strongly associated with oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma, representing a significant burden for public health systems. Despite the well-documented health risks, smoking cessation remains difficult for many individuals due to the addictive properties of nicotine and the complex behavioral and psychological components associated with tobacco dependence. Multimodal smoking cessation programs that combine behavioral counseling, psychological support, and continuous monitoring have been shown to increase the likelihood of successful cessation. However, access to these programs may be limited by logistical barriers, including geographic distance, time constraints, and limited availability of specialized services. In recent years, telemedicine and digital health technologies have emerged as promising tools to support healthcare delivery and improve access to treatment programs. Telemedicine platforms allow remote interaction between patients and healthcare professionals, facilitating communication, follow-up, and monitoring of patients over time. Additionally, wearable devices and remote monitoring systems enable the collection of physiological and behavioral data outside traditional clinical settings, providing clinicians with valuable information to support personalized interventions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of a smoking cessation program delivered through a telerehabilitation model supported by an integrated telemedicine platform and wearable remote monitoring devices. The program is designed to support individuals who smoke tobacco products, including both combustible tobacco and alternative nicotine-containing products, by providing behavioral and psychological interventions combined with continuous remote monitoring. Participants enrolled in the study will be assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will participate in a telerehabilitation program delivered through a dedicated telemedicine platform. This program will include structured behavioral and psychological treatment sessions aimed at supporting smoking cessation, along with remote monitoring through non-invasive wearable devices that allow healthcare professionals to track selected physiological parameters and patient engagement during the treatment process. The control group will receive the same multimodal behavioral and psychological treatment program but delivered through conventional rehabilitation methods without the use of telemedicine technologies or wearable monitoring devices. By comparing these two approaches, the study aims to explore whether the integration of telemedicine and wearable technologies into smoking cessation programs may improve patient engagement, facilitate monitoring, and potentially enhance the effectiveness of behavioral interventions aimed at reducing tobacco use. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of innovative digital health strategies for smoking cessation and provide evidence to support the integration of telemedicine into addiction treatment and preventive healthcare programs.

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