Abstract
Objectives: Indoor tanning, which is most common among 18-25-year-old white women, increases the risk of skin cancer. To address this problem, we developed and tested messages with a national sample of indoor tanners to determine beliefs that would encourage them to quit. Methods: Messages discouraging indoor tanning using different persuasive themes (skin cancer risk, appearance risk, well-being enhancement) were developed based on formative research and a review of intervention efforts. We conducted an online experiment to test the final messages with a national sample of 480 indoor tanners. Results: Messages that emphasized skin cancer risk out-performed messages that focused on well-being enhancement or damage to appearance in terms of intention to quit indoor tanning. Analyses revealed 2 key mediators: Perceived argument strength and beliefs related to the effects of indoor tanning. Conclusions: Theory- A nd evidence-informed public health communications can contribute to improving health-related behaviors. Focusing on the risk of skin cancer may be the most effective strategy to reduce indoor tanning among young white women.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 292-301 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | American Journal of Health Behavior |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2020 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Health(social science)
- Social Psychology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Keywords
- Health communication
- Health promotion
- Indoor tanning
- Integrative model
- Skin cancer