A digital program to help people living with HIV quit smoking
Official title: Hybrid Trial of a Tailored Smoking Cessation Digital Therapeutic for Persons Living with HIV
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11031384 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a helpful online tool to support people living with HIV who want to quit smoking, using a friendly approach that understands their unique challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | February 9, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $619,707 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285331-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11031384 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living with HIV who currently smoke and are seeking assistance to quit.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not smoke or those who are not living with HIV may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing and testing a digital therapeutic specifically designed to assist individuals living with HIV in quitting smoking. Given the high rates of tobacco use in this population, the study aims to create a tailored intervention that incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which has shown promise in smoking cessation. Participants will engage with this digital tool, which is designed to be accessible and user-friendly, while also addressing the unique challenges faced by people living with HIV. The research will evaluate both the effectiveness of this intervention and the factors that influence its implementation in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve smoking cessation rates among people living with HIV, leading to better overall health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While digital therapeutics for smoking cessation have been effective in the general population, this specific approach tailored for people living with HIV is novel and has not been extensively tested before.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vilardaga, Roger — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Vilardaga, Roger
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
I-STOP: a mobile health program to help people with HIV quit smoking
A smartphone-based program designed to help people with HIV quit smoking in a sustainable, affordable way.
-
Smoking cessation help for people with HIV in South Africa
A program is being tested to help people living with HIV in South Africa quit smoking in ways that fit low-resource clinics and show good value.
-
Mobile tools to understand how sleep affects quitting smoking
This project uses a smartphone to track sleep and smoking in lower-income adults trying to quit to find how sleep patterns relate to staying smoke-free.
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Integrated approach to lung screening and quitting for African Americans
A multi-level program aims to boost LDCT lung cancer screening uptake and help African American smokers quit, with support from a comprehensive community-focused plan.
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Peer-led smoking-cessation program for public housing residents
A peer-led program with eight group sessions plus nicotine replacement therapy is tested on adults living in public housing to help them quit smoking.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.