Enhancing Interest in Smoking Cessation Programs With Nudge-Incorporated Flyers - A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Occupational Health Staff and Workers in Japan

Q: What was the purpose of this study?

To test whether nudges incorporated into smoking cessation program flyers increase willingness to use and interest in applying the program among occupational health staff and smokers.

Q: How were the flyers designed and compared?

A control flyer was compared with a nudge flyer improved using the EAST framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely). Participants were randomly assigned and assessed via a web survey.

Q: What key results were observed among occupational health staff?

The nudge flyer received significantly higher evaluation scores for intent to apply and recommend, with much higher reading completion rates than the control flyer.

Aug 23, 2026

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This randomized controlled study evaluated whether nudge-based improvements to smoking cessation program flyers increase willingness to use and interest in applying them among occupational health staff and smokers in Japan. A control flyer was compared with a nudge flyer redesigned using the EAST framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely). Occupational health staff in the nudge arm showed higher intention and dramatically higher reading completion, while smokers showed broader recommendation intent and improved completion. Findings suggest EAST nudges may increase flyer appeal and support enrollment interest.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Smoking burden and cessation context

Cognitive bias and nudging framework

Review began 06/09/2024 Review ended 07/12/2024 Published 07/17/2024 © Copyright 2024 Takebayashi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CCBY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64756 Open Access Original Article Enhancing Interest in Smoking Cessation Programs With Nudge-Incorporated Flyers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Occupational Health Staff and Workers in Japan Masaki Takebayashi 1, 2, Yudai Kaneda 3 , Mayumi Ouchi 4, Takao Sensui 5, Kazushi Yasaka 4, Mira Namba Kurenai Takebayashi 7, Hirohide Shibutani 1 , Tatsuya Koyama 8 6 , 1. Sociology, Aomori University, Aomori, JPN 2. Health Sciences, Aomori University of Health and Welfare, Aomori, JPN 3. Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JPN 4. Solutions, Sangyoui Inc., Tokyo, JPN 5. Smoking Cessation Support, Linkage Inc., Tokyo, JPN 6. Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, JPN 7. Health and Wellness Planning, Olympus Co., Tokyo, JPN 8. Human Life Sciences, Mimasaka University, Okayama, JPN Corresponding author: Masaki Takebayashi, [1691001@ms.auhw.ac.jp](1691001@ms.auhw.ac.jp) Abstract Purpose This study aimed to investigate the willingness to use and the application interest toward a smoking cessation program flyer among occupational health staff and smokers, utilizing a nudge approach. Methods A control group (typical flyer) and a nudge group (flyer improved according to the Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely (EAST) framework from the control flyer) were established. Occupational health staff and workers with a desire to quit smoking were randomly divided into two groups, and a web survey was conducted. Results Among occupational health staff, the nudge group flyers received significantly higher evaluations with desires "to apply " (control group: 1.7±0.7 vs. nudge group: 3.7± 1.2 : 5-point scale) and "to recommend to colleagues in the same profession " (control group: 1.7±2.4 vs. nudge group: 6.6±2.4 : 11-point scale), and the reading completion rates were 7.0% for the control group vs. 70. 7% for the nudge group (p<0 .001) . Although there was no significant difference in smokers ' willingness "to apply " (control group: 2.9± 1.2 vs. nudge group: 3.1± 1.2 : 5-point scale; p=0 .388), the nudge group flyer was significantly more likely to be "want to recommend to other smokers " (control group: 4.9±2.4 vs. nudge group: 5.5±2.4 : 11-point scale; p=0 .032), with reading completion rates of 73 . 1% for the control group and 87.4% for the nudge group (p=0 .001) . Conclusion Typical flyers were not preferred by occupational health staff and may not have been effectively promoted to workers wishing to quit smoking. This study suggests that the combination of the EAST nudges could potentially increase the appeal to occupational health staff. To enhance the application interest among workers wishing to quit smoking, introducing other methods such as incentives might be necessary. Categories: Other, Epidemiology/Public Health, Occupational Health Keywords: smoking cessation program, randomized controlled trial (rct), japan, nudge, occupational health Introduction Smoking is a significant contributor to noncommunicable diseases, with approximately one person dying every four seconds due to tobacco [1] . While noncommunicable diseases are often viewed as a problem in low-and middle-income countries, smoking is also a serious issue in developed countries [2] . In Japan, smoking causes 130,000 deaths annually [3] . Despite the Japanese government 's health promotion strategy,"Health Japan 21 (second term)," setting a target smoking rate of 12%(combined for men and women) for 2022, the actual rate remained at 16. 7%(27. 1% for men and 7.6% for women) [4] . By age group, the smoking rate for men is 25.5% for those in their 20s and remains s

FAQs

What was the purpose of this study?

To test whether nudges incorporated into smoking cessation program flyers increase willingness to use and interest in applying the program among occupational health staff and smokers.

How were the flyers designed and compared?

A control flyer was compared with a nudge flyer improved using the EAST framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely). Participants were randomly assigned and assessed via a web survey.

What key results were observed among occupational health staff?

The nudge flyer received significantly higher evaluation scores for intent to apply and recommend, with much higher reading completion rates than the control flyer.

Aug 23, 2026

Upload by Paura