# Actívatexto: Advancing smoking cessation and physical activity among Latinos

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2024 · $796,253

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Overcoming the burden of tobacco use among Latinos demands innovative, effective, accessible, culturally
appropriate, and community-engaged solutions. Over the past eight years, in partnership with the Latinos Contra
el Tabaco (Spanish for: Latinos Against Tobacco) Community Advisory Board (CAB), our team has developed
Decídetexto, the first culturally-accommodated smoking cessation text messaging intervention for Latinos
(available in English and Spanish). Our recently completed randomized controlled trial (RCT; n=457)
demonstrated that Latinos receiving the Decídetexto intervention were significantly more likely than those
receiving standard of care (smoking cessation printed materials) to be smoking abstinent at Month 6 (34.1% vs
20.6%; p<0.001). Despite the proven efficacy of Decídetexto among Latinos, we did not address the fact that
75% of participants did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity [at least 150 minutes of moderate
to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week]. Moreover, we did not leverage the potential role of physical
activity in enhancing cessation rates despite evidence suggesting that MVPA may enhance cessation rates.
Thus, we developed Actívatexto, an innovative mobile intervention that incorporates physical activity into the
Decídetexto intervention. Specifically, Actívatexto integrates four components: 1) a text messaging program that
promotes both smoking cessation and physical activity, 2) wearable devices to monitor physical activity, 3)
smoking cessation pharmacotherapy (i.e., nicotine replacement therapies), and 4) an online dashboard where
the research team manages participants’ incoming and outgoing data from both the text messaging program and
wearable devices. Pilot tested among Latinos who smoke and do not meet the recommended levels of physical
activity (n=20), Actívatexto generated high satisfaction, increased minutes of MVPA per week, and resulted in
noteworthy cessation rates (70% of participants were smoking abstinent at Month 3). Our multidisciplinary team
is uniquely poised to conduct the first comprehensive research effort to study the synergism of smoking cessation
and physical activity in a mobile intervention among Latinos. We will use a hybrid type I effectiveness-
implementation research design to assess the efficacy of Actívatexto and the barriers and facilitators of its
implementation. Specific aims are: Aim 1. Assess the efficacy of Actívatexto, a mobile intervention that promotes
both smoking cessation and physical activity, compared to a mobile intervention that solely promotes smoking
cessation, on smoking abstinence at Month 6 among Latinos. Aim 2. Assess physical activity, self-efficacy, and
perceived stress as mediators of the presumed treatment effect on cotinine-verified 7-day point prevalence
abstinence at Month 6 among Latinos. Aim 3. Examine the barriers and facilitators to implement Actívatexto
among Latinos.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10944029
- **Project number:** 1R01MD019748-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Francisco Cartujano
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $796,253
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-20 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10944029

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10944029, Actívatexto: Advancing smoking cessation and physical activity among Latinos (1R01MD019748-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10944029. Licensed CC0.

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