# Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a WeChat-based Smoking Cessation Intervention Targeting Chinese Immigrant Smokers

> **NIH NIH K01** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $134,487

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Background: Smoking rates remain disproportionally high in Chinese Americans, particularly among male
immigrants. In New York City, the current smoking rate among Chinese American men is significantly higher
than the general male population (28.2% vs. 17.5%). Foreign-born Chinese Americans are more likely to
smoke than their US-born counterparts. The persistently high smoking rate among Chinese Americans is
largely due to two factors: low intention to quit which might be attributed to Chinese immigrants' low health
literacy related to the harms of smoking and benefits of quitting, and persistent attachment to traditional
Chinese social norms that continue to support smoking in men. The other factor is the low utilization of the
existing available smoking cessation resources which might be explained by the lack of culturally adapted
cessation treatment services targeting Chinese Americans and their access barriers to the treatment services.
The fast growing use of social media represents an opportunity to overcome the access barriers to smoking
cessation treatment. WeChat, the most popular social media platform among Chinese globally, is fully
integrated into the daily lives of Chinese, and thereby has the potential to reach a wide audience of Chinese
immigrants and promote smoking cessation. Yet, no study has explored the use of WeChat to deliver culturally
adapted smoking cessation interventions targeting Chinese immigrant smokers.
Research: The goal of this study is to design and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effect
of a WeChat-based multi-component smoking cessation intervention that is adapted to the cultural and social
context of Chinese immigrant smokers. The intervention will consist of four components, including a fully
automated bidirectional mobile messaging system (core of the intervention), infographics, narratives, and links
to existing cessation treatment services that target Chinese Americans. Focus groups will be conducted to
guide the adaptation of messages, infographics, and storytelling narratives. A single arm pilot test will be
conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. A two-arm pilot randomized
controlled trial will be conducted to examine the preliminary effectiveness of the intervention.
Training: The training plan is built upon my research experience in tobacco control. I will receive training and
mentored research experience in social media health interventions, mixed methods, health disparities, clinical
trials and grant writing. The pedagogical approach includes one-on-one mentorship, formal coursework,
workshop, seminars, webinars, and attendance at conferences in areas of high relevance to this project.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10795672
- **Project number:** 5K01MD014165-05
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Nan Jiang
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $134,487
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-04 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10795672

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10795672, Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a WeChat-based Smoking Cessation Intervention Targeting Chinese Immigrant Smokers (5K01MD014165-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10795672. Licensed CC0.

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