Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of a Video-Based Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among People with HIV in Kathmandu, Nepal: A Single-Armed Pilot Study

Despite the evidence of the disproportionate burden of tobacco use among people with HIV (PWH), little effort has been made to design and test smoking cessation interventions for PWH in resource-limited countries. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a video-based smoking cessation intervention consisting of eleven 3-8-minute sessions among PWH in Nepal, a lower-middle-income country. Guided by the phased-based model, our 3-month intervention focused on setting the quit date, smoking cessation, and abstinence maintenance. We screened 103 PWH over three weeks for our single-arm trial, with 53 considered eligible and 48 recruited (91%). Forty-six participants watched all video clips, while two watched 7-9. All participants were retained at a 3-month follow-up. The 1-week point prevalence abstinence (self-report supported with expired carbon monoxide levels < 5ppm) at 3-month follow-up was 39.6%. Most (90%) participants reported "very much" or "much" comfort with watching the videos on their smartphones, and all would recommend the intervention to other PWH who smoke. Overall, our pilot trial demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability, and high-level efficacy of the video-based smoking cessation intervention highlighting its potential for scaling up in Nepal and other resource-limited countries.