ABSTRACTS
Volume 8, Number 3
May-June 2003
Vol. 8, Num. 3: Contents | Editorial
| Up Front | Abstracts
Manipulating Perceptions of Colorectal
Cancer Threat: Implications for Screening Intentions and Behaviors
ISAAC M. LIPKUS, LASONYA G. GREEN, ALFRED MARCUS
Affecting peoples' perceptions of the health threat of colorectal
cancer (CRC), that is, the probability of the cancer's occurrence multiplied
by the severity of the outcomes, has not been experimentally manipulated
as a means to increase CRC screening intentions and behaviors. As an
exploratory pilot study to inform a larger randomized trial on CRC screening,
we used a four-group pre-post longitudinal design to test whether providing
information about: 1) colorectal cancer risks (no/yes) and, 2) the severity
of treatment and illness consequences (no/yes) affected CRC screening
intentions (i.e., fecal occult blood test/sigmoidoscopy) and behaviors
at a six-month follow-up. The sample consisted of 119 men and women
aged 50 and older who were off schedule for having a fecal occult blood
test (FOBT). Although perceptions of CRC risks were not affected by
the experimental manipulations, perceived severity increased screening
intentions for FOBT and lowered felt ambivalence towards FOBT. At the
six-month follow-up, 31% participants had a FOBT. Participants who received
severity information were significantly more likely to report having
had a FOBT. These results suggest that: 1) more attention needs to be
given to developing strategies to affect perception of CRC risk, and
2) increasing the perceived severity of CRC is an important construct
to increase FOBT screening.
Effects of Anti-Smoking Advertising
on Youth Smoking: A Review
MELANIE WAKEFIELD, BRIAN FLAY, MARK NICHTER,
GARY GIOVINO
This paper reviews empirical studies, encompassing community trials
and field experiments, and evaluates government-funded anti-smoking
campaigns, ecologic studies of population impact of anti-smoking advertising,
and qualitative studies that have examined the effects of anti-smoking
advertising on teenagers. We conclude that anti-smoking advertising
appears to have more reliable positive effects on those in pre-adolescence
or early adolescence by preventing commencement of smoking. It is unclear
whether this is due to developmental differences, or is a reflection
of smoking experience, or a combination of the two. In addition, it
is evident that social group interactions, through family, peer and
cultural contexts, can play an important role in reinforcing, denying,
or neutralizing potential effects of anti-smoking advertising. Although
there is some research to suggest that advertising genres that graphically
depict the health effects of smoking, emphasize social norms against
smoking, and portray the tobacco industry as manipulative can positively
influence teenagers, these findings are far from consistent. Finally,
the effects of anti-smoking advertising on youth smoking can be enhanced
by the use of other tobacco control strategies, and may be dampened
by tobacco advertising and marketing. Overall, the findings of this
review indicate that there is no single "recipe" for anti-smoking
advertising that leads to reductions in youth smoking. Anti-smoking
advertising can influence youth smoking, but whether it does in the
context of individual anti-smoking campaigns needs to be the subject
of careful evaluation.
When a Celebrity Contracts a Disease:
The Example of Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Announcement That He
Was HIV Positive
MARY K. CASEY, MIKE ALLEN, TARA EMMERS-SOMMER,
ERIN SAHLSTEIN, DAN DEGOOYER, ALAINA M. WINTERS, AMY ELISABETH WAGNER,
TIM DUN
This meta-analysis summarizes the available data concerning the impact
that the public announcement that Earvin "Magic" Johnson,
a National Basketball Association All-Star, had tested positive for
HIV. The results demonstrate that the announcement increased the level
of accurate knowledge in persons, the number of persons getting tested
for HIV, and the desire to obtain more information about HIV and AIDS.
For adults the impact of the announcement was to increase the perception
of vulnerability while for children/adolescents the announcement diminished
the perception of risk.
Promoting Behavior Change in
Botswana: An Assessment of the Peer Education HIV/AIDS Prevention Program
at the Workplace
KEMPE RONALD HOPE
Botswana has the highest rate of HIV prevalence in the world and AIDS
has now reached crisis proportions in the country. Among the initiatives
implemented as a response, to promote sexual behavior change, is the
Peer Education HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (PEHAPP) at the workplace.
This paper assesses the impact and outcome of the PEHAPP. It concludes
that the PEHAPP is having a measurable positive impact in the key areas
of improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to risky sexual
behavior which, in turn, should reduce the incidence of transmission
of HIV/AIDS and other STDs over the long-term.
Bradley vs. Gore: How Media Covered
Proposals for Health Insurance Reform in the Context of the 2000 Presidential
Campaign
FELICIA MEBANE
This study examines how often national media reported key aspects of
Senator Bill Bradley's and Vice President Al Gore's proposals for health
insurance reform during the 2000 Democratic primary campaign. The results
show that news media reported on Bradley's plan and major features of
his plan significantly more often than Gore's. Additionally, few reports
contained explicit comparisons that explained which plan would have
covered more people or cost more. Public health and media professionals
need to work together to improve the quality of information the public
depends on to develop views about and support for the uninsured.
BOOK REVIEW
Addiction Is a Choice
Jeffrey Schaler
Reviewed by Richard E. Vatz
Reviewed by Jim L. Query, Jr., Darnell L. Thomas, Ashley R. Tilka,
& Alicia B. Denney
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