Evaluation of alternate messages on an electronic message strip to recruit subjects to a smoking-cessation program.

The authors previously published details of a method to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic message strips in recruiting subjects to a smoking-cessation program. They now report data suggesting that a shorter, more negative message yields better results than a longer, more positive message. The data also show that this approach increases the number of subjects who enroll in a smoking-cessation program and the number of subjects who actually quit smoking.

Evaluation of an electronic message strip to recruit smokers to a smoking cessation program.

Knowledge of outcome is essential when analyzing effectiveness of educational programs. Although quantitative data can be analyzed more rigorously than other forms of data, quantitation of behavioral processes is often difficult. To promote our smoking-cessation program we designed a method that relies on electronic message strips and a dedicated telephone line capable of providing quantitative outcome information.