Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes from a Text Messaging-Based Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among Young People Experiencing Homelessness

Introduction: Cigarette smoking and associated high-risk behaviors are prevalent among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH), making appropriately tailored interventions targeting smoking behavior important for this group. We pilot tested a brief text-messaging intervention (TMI) as an adjunct to standard care for YEH who smoke and found promising preliminary effects of the intervention on smoking cessation. The purpose of the present study was to test the TMI's effect on the secondary outcomes of other substance use (including use of other tobacco/nicotine devices) and mental health symptoms. Methods: A total of 77 participants completed the pilot randomized controlled trial, with 40 receiving the TMI (174 automated text messages plus a group smoking counseling session and provision of nicotine patches). They completed an assessment at baseline and another three months later that evaluated use of other tobacco/nicotine devices, alcohol, marijuana, and anxiety and depression symptoms. Results: We found that the TMI helped to reduce secondary substance use behaviors and mental health symptoms among the participants; mainly there were medium effects of the intervention on changes in other tobacco/nicotine use, drinking, and anxiety and depression symptoms. The intervention did not have an effect on number of marijuana use days in the past month; however, past 30-day marijuana users who received the intervention benefited by reducing the number of times they used marijuana per day. Conclusions: In addition to helping reduce cigarette smoking, we found that a TMI for YEH was helpful in improving secondary outcomes, suggesting the promise of the TMI on benefiting YEH even beyond targeted smoking behavior.

Automated summary

The study found that the text-messaging intervention helped reduce secondary substance use behaviors and mental health symptoms among YEH. Specifically, there were medium effects of the intervention on changes in other tobacco/nicotine use, drinking, and anxiety and depression symptoms.