World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence
Best Practices of Smoking Cessation in the Western Pacific Region
Questionnaire
1. Country / Region
China.
Programme background
2. Name of Programme / Service
mCessation (China)
3. What was/ were the objective(s) of the programme / service (e.g. triggering quit attempt, promoting new activity, provision of cessation services)?
To provide smoking cessation help through smartphone and internet.
4. What was the duration / time period of the programme / service?
The mCessation (China) has been launched in May 26 2021, and will continue for at least 5 years.
5. What was the target population?
Smokers, with or without quitting intention.
Programme details
6. Please briefly describe the activity(-ies) carried out under the programme / service (e.g. provision of smoking cessation services, campaign to promote/enhance cessation services provision).
The mCessation (China) mainly consist of 3 parts: “Cessation online” official account, “Cessation online” mini program and the official website (www.chinatca.cn). The “Cessation online” official account followers can receive notifications regularly and learn about the latest and evidence-based smoking-cessation-related knowledge. “Cessation online” mini program contains questionnaires and “sign-in” function which could measure smokers' smoking-related characteristics and provide smoking cessation calendar. People can find the hazards of smoking, the benefits of quitting, the most commonly used cessation methods and information about smoking cessation clinics on the official website.
7. What were the factors that contributed to the programme / service establishment?
To help smokers to quit.
8. Did the programme / service involve other organisation(s) (e.g. non-governmental organisation, professional association, academia)? What were their roles?
An IT company provided IT support.
9. Please briefly describe the resource implications for this programme / service:
| i. | How was / were necessary funding and / or manpower secured? |
|---|---|
| We started this project with our existing funding, then as the project showed possible good results and implications, we get more funding. All the funding and manpower is secured by following the regulations and laws of our WHO CC, our hospital and China government. | |
| ii. | Please briefly describe any use of information technology to implement or facilitate the programme / service |
| The mCessation (China) is basically based on WeChat application and internet, so related technology is used. | |
| iii. | Any other special resource required to implement the programme / service? |
| None. |
10. COVID-19
| i. | Please briefly describe any difficulties encountered during the programme / service implementation amid COVID-19. |
|---|---|
| Due to the COVID-19, many smokers are afraid to come to hospitals for smoking cessation. In addition, because of sporadic cases of COVID-19 in several cities, hospitals are closed and could not provide smoking cessation service. | |
| ii. | How did you overcome them? |
| The mCessation (China) is basically based on WeChat application and internet, so related technology is used. |
Programme evaluation
11. Was there any evaluation of the programme / service (e.g. quantitative survey, qualitative interview, etc.) conducted?
As the mCessation (China) just began, no evaluation was conducted.
12. What was the impact of the programme / services (e.g. number of smokers who quit)?
To provide a new method for smokers to quit.
13. How would the evaluation results be used (e.g. improving policy / programmes)?
To improve policy.