Effects of Website Interactivity on Skin Cancer-Related Intentions and User Experience: Factorial Randomized Experiment

BACKGROUND: Digital media technologies provide users with the ability to interact with content and to receive information based on their preferences and engagement. OBJECTIVE: We used skin cancer and sun protection as a health topic to explore how modality interactivity, interface tools that afford users greater activity, resulting in greater depth and breadth of mentally representing and experiencing mediated content, and message interactivity, the extent to which the system allows users to exchange messages back and forth on health websites, influenced users\u27 attitudes, knowledge, behavioral intentions, and experience. METHODS: We employed a 2×2 (modality interactivity: high vs low; message interactivity: high vs low) between-subject online experiment for which 4 websites were created. Participants (n=293) were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned into to 1 of 4 conditions. After browsing the website, participants completed an online survey regarding their experience and cognitive perceptions. General linear models and path analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Both modality interactivity (P = .001) and message interactivity (P \u3c .001) had an impact on intention to use sun protection. Attitudes toward health websites and perceived knowledge mediated the effects of modality interactivity and message interactivity on sun protection use intention, individually. Participants in the high modality interactivity and high message interactivity condition felt more satisfied (P = .02). Participants in the low message interactivity condition had more interest in the experience with health websites than participants in the high message interactivity condition (P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggested that modality interactivity influenced intention to use sun protection directly as well as via attitudes toward the websites. Message interactivity impacted intention to use sunscreen directly and also through perceived knowledge. Implications for designing health websites and health intervention content are discussed

An Experimental Investigation into Promoting Mental Health Service Use on Social Media: Effects of Source and Comments

Mental health is an increasingly prevalent topic of public interest, but remains a complex area requiring focused research that must account for negative perceptions surrounding mental health issues. The current work explores the roles of social media information source credibility and valence of social media comments on health outcomes in such a mental health context. We used a 2 (message source: professional vs. layperson) × 3 (valence of comments: positive vs. negative vs. mixed) online experiment to examine the effects of source and valence of comments on trust, attitudes and intentions related to mental health information and services among 422 undergraduate students. Results supported the hypothesized model in which source influenced cognitive trust while comments influenced affective trust. Cognitive and affective trust both impacted attitudes towards mental health information which encourages the intention to share such information on social media. Additionally, affective trust impacted attitudes towards mental services which influenced intentions to seek them out. Source and valence of comments on social media impact different behavioral intentions regarding the use of mental health services. This study provides insights for future social media campaigns promoting mental health service use

Sunburns and Sun Protection Behaviors among Male Hispanic Outdoor Day Laborers

Individuals who work outside are at increased risk for skin cancer due to excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Little is known about UV exposures and sun safety practices of outdoor day laborers, who are disproportionately Hispanic. This study identified the correlates of sunburn and sun protection behaviors in a sample of male, Hispanic day laborers (n = 175). More than half of the participants (54.9%) experienced one or more sunburns when working during the past summer, and 62.9% reported having one or more symptoms of heat illness. The frequency of engaging in sun protection behaviors was suboptimal, including sunglasses use (M = 2.68, SD = 1.71), staying in the shade (M = 2.30, SD = 0.94), wearing sunscreen (M = 2.10, SD = 1.39), and wearing a wide-brimmed hat (M = 1.75, SD = 1.32), based on a 5-point scale (1 = never; 5 = always). Lower education level, higher levels of skin sensitivity to the sun, any symptom of heat illness, fewer barriers to wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and not wearing a wide-brimmed hat were associated with a greater number of sunburns. Factors associated with each sun protection behavior varied. Implications and directions for future research are discussed

EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERACTIVITY AND USER ENGAGEMENT ON SKIN CANCER INFORMATION PROCESSING

The advent of computer and mobile devices revolutionarily changes the way of communication. Technologies on mobile devices, websites and applications provide users the ability of more engagement and interactions with the content. Communication on the internet is distinguishable from communication on traditional media, such as print media and television. Traditional media allow users to have a linear way of processing information while digital media provide a curvilinear way for users to perform actions and process information based on their own choices and preferences. Is this form of communication and information processing more effective and efficient for users to absorb information online, especially health information? Websites for health topics, such as skin cancer prevention and awareness, have a variety of ways in which they can present health information to audience members. The present study used skin cancer and sun protection as a health topic to explore how different types of interactivity on the health websites influenced user engagement, information processing, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. This study (N=287) employed a 2 (modality interactivity: high vs. low) x 2 (message interactivity: high vs. low) between-subjects online experiment to evaluate effects of two types of interactivity, modality interactivity and message interactivity, on interface assessment of a skin cancer website, perceived credibility, knowledge, affective trust, cognitive trust, heuristic and systematic processing, attitudes toward skin cancer information and attitude toward the health website, and behavioral intention to use sunscreen in the future, intention to recommend the website to others, and intention to visit health websites in the future. Findings suggested that modality interactivity influenced behavioral intentions via its prior effects on perceived knowledge, affective trust, and attitudes toward the skin cancer information. Message interactivity affected behavioral intentions through its prior effects on perceived knowledge. Message interactivity led to more systematic processing while modality interactivity had a positive influence on attitudes toward the website and skin cancer information. Implications for designing health websites and health intervention content are discussed

Prevalence and correlates of intentional outdoor and indoor tanning among adolescents in the United States: Findings from the FLASHE survey

A body of research has focused on adolescents' indoor tanning behaviors but relatively little is known about the prevalence of adolescents' intentional outdoor tanning (time spent outdoors to get a tan). The present study used data from the National Cancer Institute's 2014 Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating (FLASHE) cross-sectional survey to examine the prevalence and correlates of intentional outdoor and indoor tanning among adolescents in the United States. Both unadjusted (bivariate) and adjusted (multi-variate) logistic regressions were performed to test the associations between demographic variables, time spent on media (e.g., using computers), emotional status and outdoor or indoor tanning. The overall prevalence of frequent outdoor tanning among adolescents in the U.S. was 15.6% (95% CI 13.8–17.4%) and the rate of indoor tanning in the past 12 months was 3% (95% CI 2.2–3.9). The adjusted odds of intentional outdoor tanning were significantly higher among girls (AOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.75–3.27), Non-Hispanic Whites (AOR 2.85, 95% CI 1.99–4.07), and those who spent more time on cell phones (AOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.25–1.57). The adjusted odds of indoor tanning were significantly higher among those who spent more time on computers (AOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09–1.74) and cell phones (AOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.19–1.87). This study provides evidence for the relationship between media use and tanning behaviors among adolescents. Keywords: Tanning, Adolescent, Skin cance

Sunburns and Sun Protection Behaviors among Male Hispanic Outdoor Day Laborers

Individuals who work outside are at increased risk for skin cancer due to excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Little is known about UV exposures and sun safety practices of outdoor day laborers, who are disproportionately Hispanic. This study identified the correlates of sunburn and sun protection behaviors in a sample of male, Hispanic day laborers (n = 175). More than half of the participants (54.9%) experienced one or more sunburns when working during the past summer, and 62.9% reported having one or more symptoms of heat illness. The frequency of engaging in sun protection behaviors was suboptimal, including sunglasses use (M = 2.68, SD = 1.71), staying in the shade (M = 2.30, SD = 0.94), wearing sunscreen (M = 2.10, SD = 1.39), and wearing a wide-brimmed hat (M = 1.75, SD = 1.32), based on a 5-point scale (1 = never; 5 = always). Lower education level, higher levels of skin sensitivity to the sun, any symptom of heat illness, fewer barriers to wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and not wearing a wide-brimmed hat were associated with a greater number of sunburns. Factors associated with each sun protection behavior varied. Implications and directions for future research are discussed