Quitting at your Fingertips: A Scoping Review of Reviews on Digital Smoking Cessation Interventions

Abstract Background Smoking is a major contributor to preventable disease and premature death globally. Despite various smoking cessation (SC) strategies, relapse rates remain high. Digital technologies present new opportunities to support SC. This study aimed to map the characteristics of digital SC interventions using a scoping review of reviews. Methods This review adheres to the PRISMA-ScR guideline and a preregistered protocol (doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/N7MS6). We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycInfo, and CINAHL for systematic reviews on digital SC interventions. Reviews with any human populations, digital interventions, and SC as the primary outcome were included. Two reviewers independently screened and selected studies in Rayyan and extracted data. Data were synthesized using descriptive statistics. Results Out of 669 hits, 36 reviews (33 systematic, two umbrella, and one scoping) with 437 studies (mostly RCTs) met the inclusion criteria. While some reviews focused on specific groups (e.g., pregnant women), most addressed any smokers. Intervention delivery modality was mainly via text messaging (alone or with phone/video calls) or apps with mobile phones as delivery devices. Few reviews reported on utilization, satisfaction, or unintended effects of interventions. Sociodemographic moderators, especially digital health literacy, were rarely addressed. Outcome measures and follow-up durations varied widely, limiting comparability. Conclusions Digital interventions offer scalable, customizable approaches for SC. However, diversity in approaches, populations, and evaluation methods hinders evidence synthesis. Research gaps include the insufficient data on digital health literacy and long-term outcomes of interventions. Public health efforts should promote standardized evaluation of digital SC interventions, inclusive design, and digital (health) literacy considerations. Future reviews should focus on specific modalities and populations to inform effective, targeted SC strategies. Key messages • Digital interventions for SC show strong potential, but inconsistent methods and limited long-term data hinder comparability, scalability, and implementation in public health practice. • Improving digital health literacy and filling key evidence gaps will ensure inclusive, equitable access to SC tools, supporting sustainable health and reducing health disparities.