Objective: To systematically review published articles reporting the use of smoking cessation mobile health (mHealth) interventions in Latin America.
Methods: Five different databases were searched from database inception to 2020. Criteria: (1) the research was a smoking cessation randomized controlled trial (RCT), quasi-experimental research, or single-arm study; (2) the intervention used at least one type of mHealth intervention; (3) the research was conducted in Latin American; and (4) the research reported the cessation rate.
Results: Of the seven selected studies, four were conducted in Brazil, two in Mexico, and one in Peru. Only one study was an adequately powered RCT. Interventions relied on text messages (n = 3), web-based tools (n = 2), and telephone calls (n = 3). Some studies (n = 4) provided pharmacotherapy support. Smoking cessation outcomes included self-reported (n = 5) and biochemically verified (n = 2) abstinence. Follow-ups were conducted at Month 6 (n = 2), Week 12 (n = 4), and Day 30 (n = 1). Cessation rates varied from 9.4% at Week 12 to 55.5% at Day 30.
Conclusion: Despite the promising cessation rates of mHealth interventions in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, there is a need to rigorously evaluate these interventions in different Latin American countries with RCTs that are long-term, adequately powered, and use biochemical verification of cessation.
Keywords: Latin America; mHealth; mobile health; smoking; smoking cessation.