Cacho-Elizondo, S., Shahidi, N., Tossan, V.
In France, 66,000 deaths each year are attributable to smoking. Across the aged 15-75, the proportion of daily smokers rose from 26.9% to 28.7% between 2005 and 2010. However the proportion that smoke more than ten cigarettes a day is diminishing. Among the 15 million of French smokers more than half would like to stop smoking. But only 750 000 stop smoking each year. A lot use skin patches, nicotine substitutes or electronic cigarettes. But the benefits of electronic cigarettes are still controversial. Coaching people to avoid taking a cigarette seems a better option.
This research originated in a joint project with a French start-up , which was considering introducing a new service to provide support for people who wanted to stop smoking. Its principal objective is to identify drivers fostering the intention to adopt such a service in the young smokers segment.
It took the form of a face-to-face survey with a convenience sample of 113 people in several Paris locations. We measured the concepts illustrated in table 1 in order to validate 7 hypotheses
The mobile coaching service takes the form of short text messages sent to cell phones to help individuals in a range of situations.
The following Table 1 sums up some measurement scales.
Table 1. Measurement Scales(extract)
|
Concept |
Label |
Items |
Adapted from |
|
Intention to Adopt the Mobile Coaching Service |
BINTENT |
1. I intend to use this mobile coaching service to stop smoking in the future. 2. I would be prepared to use this mobile coaching service to stop smoking in the future. 3. To stop smoking, I will use this service |
Davis (1989) |
|
Vicarious Innovativeness |
DSI |
1. Involvement: If I heard a new mobile coaching service was available, I would be interested in using it. 2. Intention to adopt: I would consider adopting a new mobile coaching service even if I had not yet heard about it. 3. Perceived knowledge: I know more about new mobile coaching services than other people do. 4. Ease of use: If I heard that a new mobile coaching service was available and easy to use, I would be interested enough to adopt it. 5. Need for change: I adopt a new mobile coaching service because of the advantages it offers me. 6. Need for cognition: Before adopting a new mobile coaching service I consider the benefits provided by innovation and its relationship to the status quo. 7. Price: I would adopt the mobile coaching service if the price was right (intention to adopt if you have to pay and at what price level, or if the service is free, sponsored by a private or public organization). |
Pagani (2007) |
|
Social Influence |
SOCIAL |
1. People who are important to me would want me to use this mobile coaching service. 2. People who influence my behavior would think I should use this mobile coaching service. 3. People whose opinions I value would prefer me to use this mobile coaching service.
|
Mathieson (1991) |
|
Perceived Enjoyment |
ENJOY |
1. I expect that using this mobile service would be enjoyable. 2. I expect that using this mobile service would be pleasing. 3. I expect that using this mobile service would be entertaining.
|
Chowdhury, Parvin, Weitenberner & Becker (2006) |
