Connectivity of Real-Time Video Counselling Versus Telephone Counselling for Smoking Cessation in Rural and Remote Areas: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study compared the connectivity of video sessions to telephone sessions delivered to smokers in rural areas and whether remoteness and video app (video only) were associated with the connectivity of video or telephone sessions. Participants were recruited into a randomised trial where two arms offered smoking cessation counselling via: (a) real-time video communication software (201 participants) or (b) telephone (229 participants). Participants were offered up to six video or telephone sessions and the connectivity of each session was recorded. A total of 456 video sessions and 606 telephone sessions were completed. There was adequate connectivity of the video intervention in terms of no echoing noise (97.8%), no loss of internet connection during the session (88.6%), no difficulty hearing the participant (88.4%) and no difficulty seeing the participant (87.5%). In more than 94% of telephone sessions, there was no echoing noise, no difficulty hearing the participant and no loss of telephone line connection. Video sessions had significantly greater odds of experiencing connectivity difficulties than telephone sessions in relation to connecting to the participant at the start (odds ratio, OR = 5.13, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.88–14.00), loss of connection during the session (OR = 11.84, 95% CI 4.80–29.22) and hearing the participant (OR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.41–4.55). There were no significant associations between remoteness and video app and connectivity difficulties in the video or telephone sessions. Real-time video sessions are a feasible option for smoking cessation providers to provide support in rural areas.

Exploring features of social support in a Chinese online smoking cessation community: A multidimensional content analysis of user interaction data

“…13 The definition of it is widely accepted that social support is accessible to an individual through social ties to other individuals, groups, and larger communities. 14 Many smoking cessation programs are designed to provide social support for smokers, such as the telephone counseling [15][16][17][18][19][20] and the group intervention. [21][22][23][24] Under these circumstances, smokers receive a variety of social support.…”

“…Many smoking cessation programs are designed to provide social support for smokers, such as the telephone counseling 15–20 and the group intervention. 21–24 Under these circumstances, smokers receive a variety of social support.…”

Reaching Out to the Urban Underserved For Continuum of Healthcare during COVID-19 Pandemic Using Available Technologies

“…The calls went through smoothly without network interruptions and bypassed bandwidth issues often associated with video calls. 4 Among the study families, acute illness episodes were relatively less. However, the high prevalence of chronic morbidities indicates the increased vulnerability to COVID-19 and necessitates close monitoring.…”

Lessons learned from the implementation of a video health coaching technology intervention to improve self‐care of family caregivers of adults with heart failure

“…There is limited research comparing virtual interventions to telephone interventions. In a recently published study, the main differences between the two groups were that the video intervention had greater odds of connectivity difficulties at the start of the study, connection loss during sessions, and trouble hearing the study participant, in comparison to the telephone group (Byaruhanga et al, 2020). Most of the available literature compares telephone to usual care (e.g., in person or health information only) or virtual to usual care, often lacking a description of challenges encountered and solutions used (Gately et al, 2019; O'Brien et al, 2018; Waller et al, 2017).…”