Cochrane Summaries

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making
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Can Internet based interventions help people to stop smoking? 

Civljak M, Sheikh A, Stead LF, Car J
Published Online: 
August 15, 2012

More evidence is needed to determine if programmes delivered over the Internet can help people to stop smoking. This review found few trials reporting success rates for stopping smoking after six months or more, and those trials provided only limited evidence of long-term benefits of the Internet or web-based smoking cessation programmes. Internet intervention programmes that provide individually tailored information and support may be more effective than a static website. The Internet may have an additional benefit when used alongside other interventions, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other pharmacotherapy. Innovative smoking cessation intervention delivered via the Internet may be more attractive to young people and females who smoke, and less attractive to smokers reporting depression.