# Mobile health interventions for varenicline adherence among HIV-positive smokers

> **NIH NIH K01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $171,937

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Cigarette smoking is disproportionately prevalent among persons with HIV as compared to the general
population. Currently, smoking is responsible for a greater loss of life years than is HIV itself in this population.
Many HIV-positive smokers report a desire to quit but are unable to do so. Poor cessation rates in this
population are likely due in part to suboptimal adherence to smoking cessation medications. Mobile
technologies, like smartphones, are increasingly ubiquitous and affordable in the U.S., and can be integrated to
augment medication adherence. Mobile phone-delivered interventions show promise at improving cessation
outcomes relative to usual care in smokers living with HIV. However, the only existing trial to attempt to
improve adherence to smoking cessation medication among smokers living with HIV has yielded null results. It
is possible that smokers living with HIV may require an additional behavioral component to improve the
effectiveness of mobile-phone-based interventions. Thus, we propose to evaluate mSMART, an existing
smartphone application that targets medication adherence, in combination with contingency management
(CM)—a behavioral intervention shown to improve outcomes for clinically relevant behaviors such as HIV
medication adherence and smoking cessation—to improve adherence to varenicline among smokers with HIV.
The overarching goal of the research proposed in this application is to develop and evaluate an intervention
that targets adherence to varenicline, with the goal of improving adherence and cessation outcomes among
smokers living with HIV. The proposed research study has the following specific aims: 1) To conduct formative
interviews with smokers living with HIV; 2) To conduct a proof-of-concept trial of mSMART and mSMART+CM;
and 3) To characterize determinants of varenicline adherence. The proposed research builds upon the
Principal Investigator's previous experience and is closely aligned with her overarching career development
goal of becoming an independent investigator with expertise in the development and evaluation of treatments
for smoking cessation among smokers living with HIV. Dr. Pacek is a postdoctoral associate at the Duke
University Medical Center with expertise in the epidemiology of smoking in persons living with HIV and
behavioral pharmacology of smoking. The primary training goals of this proposal are to gain skills in clinical
trials research methodology and mobile health intervention development, and develop content expertise in
medication adherence. The results of the proposed research and training plans will facilitate Dr. Pacek's
development as an independent investigator and provide preliminary data for a future large-scale efficacy
study.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10224155
- **Project number:** 5K01DA043413-05
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lauren Renee Pacek
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $171,937
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-15 → 2021-12-10

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10224155

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10224155, Mobile health interventions for varenicline adherence among HIV-positive smokers (5K01DA043413-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10224155. Licensed CC0.

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