An interventional study of Conversational agent and Standard health education in Conversational Agent and Smoking Cessation, sponsored by Cairo University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 19 Years to 24 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-02.
Sponsored by Cairo University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Comparing the efficacy of conversational agent and standard health education in promoting smoking cessation among medical students in Cairo university
Tobacco smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for more than 8 million deaths annually (world health organization, 2023). Smoking among medical students represents a critical paradox in public health. As future physicians, they are expected to be role models and champions of preventive health, yet global studies indicate a persistent and concerning prevalence of tobacco use within this group, with rates varying from 5% to over 30% in different regions (AlSairafi \& AlKandari, 2023). In Egypt, the situation is particularly pressing; a recent systematic review estimated the pooled prevalence of smoking among medical students to be approximately 18.5%, with some studies reporting rates as high as 28% among males (El-Masry et al., 2023). This high prevalence is often attributed to intense academic stress, social factors, and the normalization of smoking in certain environments (Bassiony et al., 2015). This behavior undermines their personal health and future professional credibility and effectiveness in tobacco cessation counseling Digital health technologies have emerged as effective and scalable tools for behavior change interventions. Mobile applications, web-based programs, and short message service (SMS) based interventions have demonstrated modest but significant effects on smoking cessation outcomes (whittaker et al., 2019). Among these digital approaches, conversational agents, or chatbots, offer unique advantages through real-time, interactive, and personalized communication (abdullah et al., 2023). Chatbots simulate human conversation and can provide continuous motivational and cognitive-behavioral support using natural language processing algorithms. Their 24/7 availability, anonymity, and ability to tailor responses based on user input make them highly suitable for youth and young adults who are digitally literate and familiar with online interaction (prochaska et al., 2021).
So, This study hypothesizes that medical students who smoke and receive the combined intervention of the "QuitBot" conversational agent plus an evidence-based cessation guidelines will demonstrate a statistically significant higher rate of day point prevalence smoking abstinence and prolonged abstinence at 1 and 3months respectively post-intervention, compared to those who receive the evidence-based handbook alone. Since many similar studies have been conducted in high-income countries, there is very limited evidence from low- and middle-income contexts such as Egypt (el-amin et al., 2021). Medical students in Egypt are an ideal population for testing the feasibility of such a digital intervention, given their high rates of smartphone ownership and social media use. So, implementing quitbot among medical students could provide valuable insights into the acceptability, usability, and effectiveness of chatbot-based smoking cessation tools. Furthermore, this approach aligns with the global public health objective of integrating artificial intelligence-driven behavioral interventions into preventive healthcare strategies (world health organization, 2023).
1,581 studies on the registry are indexed under Smoking Cessation; 198 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 180 is close to the median of 164 across 1,423 interventional studies indexed under Smoking Cessation.
Browse Smoking Cessation studies →Cairo University is the lead sponsor of 4,941 studies on the registry; 1,458 are open to participants now.
Of its 37 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (14%) have results posted.
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Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants are medical students who smoke, and will receive smoking cessation intervention through an AI conversational chatbot.
Behavioral: Conversational agent
Standard health education
Behavioral: Standard health education
Conversational Agent Behavioral Participants use an AI-powered conversational chatbot for smoking cessation support
Standard health education according to USPSTF guidelines
Comparing the effectiveness of conversational chatbot in promoting smoking cessation versus traditional cessation education among medical students in Cairo University by comparing numbers of participants succeed to stop smoking among the two groups
Varying cessation by direct asking after 3 months
Time frame: 3 months
Comparing change in nicotine dependence level measured by fager storm qutionaaire pre and post intervention
Measuring nicotine dependence level by fager storm qutionaaire pre and post intervention then comparing change level between the two groups
Time frame: 3 months
To assess User satisfaction, feasibility and usability score among chatbot user using SUS questionnaire To evaluate the perceived effectiveness of both methods in promoting smoking cessation abd and comparing them .
Conversational agent arm will fill a questionnaire to determine satisfaction, feasibility and usability Both arm will fill a qutionaaire for perceived effectiveness
Time frame: 3 months
Plan to share: No
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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