Results of a Social Media Campaign to Prevent Indoor Tanning by Teens: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Indoor tanning (IT) increases risk of developing skin cancer. A social media campaign to reduce mother\u27s permissiveness toward their teenage daughters IT was evaluated. Mothers (N = 869) of daughters aged 14–17 in 34 states without bans on IT by minors were enrolled in a randomized trial with assessments at baseline and 12-months follow-up in 2017–19. A year-long adolescent health campaign was delivered to all mothers. The intervention group received posts on preventing IT and the control group, posts about preventing prescription drug misuse. Daughters (n = 469; 54.0%) completed the assessments at baseline and 12 months. At 12-month follow-up, intervention-group mothers were less permissive of IT by daughters (unadjusted means = 1.70 [95% CI: 1.59, 1.80] v. 1.85 [1.73, 1.97] [5-point Likert scale], b = -0.152), reported more communication about avoiding IT with daughters (4.09 [3.84, 4.35] v. 3.42 [3.16, 3.68] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.213), and had lower intentions to indoor tan (1.41 [1.28, 1.55] v. 1.60 [1.43, 1.76] [7-point likelihood scale], b = -0.221) than control-group mothers. Daughters confirmed intervention-group mothers communicated about IT (3.81 [3.49, 4.14] v. 3.20 [2.87, 3.53] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.237) and shared IT posts (unadjusted percentages = 52.4% v. 36.4%, b = 0.438) more than control-group mothers. No differences were found in IT behavior, self-efficacy to refuse permission, and negative attitudes toward IT. A social media campaign may be an effective strategy to convince mothers to withhold permission for IT, which may help increase the effectiveness of state laws designed to reduce IT by minors by requiring parental permission

Engaging Moms on Teen Indoor Tanning Through Social Media: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Indoor tanning elevates the risk for melanoma, which is now the most common cancer in US women aged 25-29. Public policies restricting access to indoor tanning by minors to reduce melanoma morbidity and mortality in teens are emerging. In the United States, the most common policy restricting indoor tanning in minors involves parents providing either written or in person consent for the minor to purchase a tanning visit. The effectiveness of this policy relies on parents being properly educated about the harms of indoor tanning to their children. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial will test the efficacy of a Facebook-delivered health communication intervention targeting mothers of teenage girls. The intervention will use health communication and behavioral modification strategies to reduce mothers\u27 permissiveness regarding their teenage daughters\u27 use of indoor tanning relative to an attention-control condition with the ultimate goal of reducing indoor tanning in both daughters and mothers. METHODS: The study is a 12-month randomized controlled trial comparing 2 conditions: an attention control Facebook private group where content will be relevant to teen health with 25% focused on prescription drug abuse, a topic unrelated to tanning; and the intervention condition will enter participants into a Facebook private group where 25% of the teen health content will be focused on indoor tanning. A cohort of 2000 mother-teen daughter dyads will be recruited to participate in this study. Only mothers will participate in the Facebook groups. Both mothers and daughters will complete measures at baseline, end of intervention (1-year) and 6 months post-intervention. Primary outcomes include mothers\u27 permissiveness regarding their teenage daughters\u27 use of indoor tanning, teenage daughters\u27 perception of their mothers\u27 permissiveness, and indoor tanning by both mothers and daughters. RESULTS: The first dyad was enrolled on March 31, 2016, and we anticipate completing this study by October 2019. CONCLUSIONS: This trial will deliver social media content grounded in theory and will test it in a randomized design with state-of-the-art measures. This will contribute much needed insights on how to employ social media for health behavior change and disease prevention both for indoor tanning and other health risk behaviors and inform future social media efforts by public health and health care organizations. CLINICALTRIAL: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02835807; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02835807 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6mDMICcCE)

Missing the Target for Routine Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Consistent and Strong Physician Recommendations Are Lacking for 11- to 12-Year-Old Males

Rates of routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescent males in the U.S. are low. Leading health organizations advocate consistent and strong physician recommendations to improve HPV vaccine dissemination. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of consistent and strong physician recommendations for HPV vaccination of adolescent males

Florida physicians' reported use of AFIX-based strategies for human papillomavirus vaccination

HPV vaccination rates in Florida are low. To increase rates, the CDC recommends clinics adhere to components of their evidence-based quality improvement program, AFIX (Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchange of information). We explored factors associated with engaging in HPV-specific AFIX-related activities. In 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 770 pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida and assessed vaccination practices, clinic characteristics, and HPV-related knowledge. Data were analyzed in 2017. The primary outcome was whether physicians' clinics engaged in ≥1 AFIX activity. We stratified by physician specialty and developed multivariable models using a backward selection approach. Of the participants in the analytic sample (n = 340), 52% were male, 60% were White of any ethnicity, and 55% were non-Hispanic. Pediatricians and family medicine physicians differed on: years practicing medicine (p < 0.001), HPV-related knowledge (p < 0.001), and VFC provider status (p < 0.001), among others. Only 39% of physicians reported engaging in ≥1 AFIX activity. In the stratified multivariable model for pediatricians, AFIX activity was significantly associated with HPV-related knowledge (aOR = 1.33;95%CI = 1.08–1.63) and provider use of vaccine reminder prompts (aOR = 3.61;95%CI = 1.02–12.77). For family medicine physicians, HPV-related knowledge was significant (aOR = 1.57;95%CI = 1.20–2.05) as was majority race of patient population (non-Hispanic White vs. Other: aOR = 3.02;95%CI = 1.08–8.43), daily patient load (<20 vs. 20–24: aOR = 9.05;95%CI = 2.72–30.10), and vaccine administration to male patients (aOR = 2.98;95%CI = 1.11–8.02). Fewer than half of Florida pediatric and family medicine physicians engaged in any AFIX activities. Future interventions to increase AFIX engagement should focus on implementing and evaluating AFIX activities in groups identified as having low engagement in AFIX activities

A micro level analysis of communication strategies utilized in the television advertisements of male and female candidates

American women continue to be severely underrepresented in the number of elected political positions held. One of the obstacles that women face when seeking public office are gender stereotypes which reinforce beliefs that women may be less viable candidates than men. Gender stereotypes influence a range of evaluations about candidates including judgments about their credibility, competency, and communication strategies. This study analyzes communication campaign strategies as one area in which gender stereotyping may influence voters. Television political advertisements are the context for this analysis because of the increased relevance of advertising in imparting candidate image and issue information to the voters. Language Expectancy Theory and literature from the nonverbal communication field provided the theoretical rationale for this study. A micro-level analysis of the verbal and nonverbal communication strategies in political advertising was conducted to determine if these strategies adhered to or countered gender stereotypes. A total of 124 political advertisements of male and female candidates were content analyzed. Results of the study indicate that differences existed in how male and female candidates presented their image to the electorate. Specifically, for the verbal strategies examined, women candidates used less intense language, less humor, less direct attacks, and more prosocial strategies than their male counterparts. However, no differences were found between how men and women made references to autonomy nor were differences identified in their use of opinionated language. For the nonverbal communication strategies, women were coded as having more pleasant voices, and as using more immediate and dominant kinesic cues. No differences were identified in regard to trait characteristics emphasized nor issues mentioned in the ads. The discussion focuses on how these findings can assist scholars in understanding the communication strategies male and female candidates utilized, and if these strategies supported or violated communication stereotypes. The findings of the study can facilitate future research related to understanding how female candidates can increase the persuasive efficacy of their political advertisements

Accounting for “Racism”: Responses to Political Predicaments in Two States

How do people explain their behavior in socially unacceptable political situations? Exploring this question will give us insight into how the public responds to and frames collective decisions regarding controversial topics. We analyze accounts of the outcomes of racially sensitive statewide referenda in two states to understand the public responses to such political predicaments. Distinguishing four broad categories of these accounts—denials, justifications, excuses, and confessions—we find some clear-cut differences in their use between proponents and opponents of the ballot measures. These results have implications for political thought and dialogue regarding politically-sensitive issues and other heated policy issues. We also discuss how the different account dynamics in these two cases presaged subsequent political developments in these states, which might provide insights into why some such cases continue to be fiercely contested while others fade from public debate

Scented lotions may cause scaring and premature fading of tattoos

Although tattoo artists provide tattoo aftercare instructions to their clients, recommendations are often not cost-effective or supported by evidence. A 22-year-old man developed a pruritic red rash over his healing tattoo one week after receiving the tattoo. Although multiple queries were negative, the patient did note use of a scented lotion before the eruption. We determined that allergic contact dermatitis from the scented lotion caused scarring and premature fading of the new tattoo. Tattoo artists should recommend avoidance of scented lotions and instruct clients to care for their new tattoo like a wound in their aftercare instructions

Results of a social media campaign to prevent indoor tanning by teens: A randomized controlled trial

Indoor tanning (IT) increases risk of developing skin cancer. A social media campaign to reduce mother’s permissiveness toward their teenage daughters IT was evaluated. Mothers (N = 869) of daughters aged 14–17 in 34 states without bans on IT by minors were enrolled in a randomized trial with assessments at baseline and 12-months follow-up in 2017–19. A year-long adolescent health campaign was delivered to all mothers. The intervention group received posts on preventing IT and the control group, posts about preventing prescription drug misuse. Daughters (n = 469; 54.0%) completed the assessments at baseline and 12 months. At 12-month follow-up, intervention-group mothers were less permissive of IT by daughters (unadjusted means = 1.70 [95% CI: 1.59, 1.80] v. 1.85 [1.73, 1.97] [5-point Likert scale], b = -0.152), reported more communication about avoiding IT with daughters (4.09 [3.84, 4.35] v. 3.42 [3.16, 3.68] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.213), and had lower intentions to indoor tan (1.41 [1.28, 1.55] v. 1.60 [1.43, 1.76] [7-point likelihood scale], b = -0.221) than control-group mothers. Daughters confirmed intervention-group mothers communicated about IT (3.81 [3.49, 4.14] v. 3.20 [2.87, 3.53] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.237) and shared IT posts (unadjusted percentages = 52.4% v. 36.4%, b = 0.438) more than control-group mothers. No differences were found in IT behavior, self-efficacy to refuse permission, and negative attitudes toward IT. A social media campaign may be an effective strategy to convince mothers to withhold permission for IT, which may help increase the effectiveness of state laws designed to reduce IT by minors by requiring parental permission

Adoption of Sun Safe Workplace Practices by Local Governments

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Mutual Influences of Mother’s and Daughter’s Mental Health on the Closeness of Their Relationship: An Actor–partner Interdependence Model

The present study aimed to examine intra- and interpersonal associations between poor mental health and mother–daughter relationship closeness in a sample of 467 dyads. An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model was utilized to examine bidirectional processes between mothers (mean age = 42.64, SD = 6.5) and their adolescent daughters (mean age = 15.37, SD = 1.15). The independent variable was self-reported poor mental health and the dependent variable was relationship closeness. Additionally, communication satisfaction was examined as a potential interpersonal mediator of the pathway between poor mental health and relationship closeness. Daughters’ self-reported poor mental health negatively predicted their own perception of closeness as well as mothers’ perception of closeness. Additionally, we find evidence that perceived communication may explain (i.e., mediate) both the actor effect (one’s own poor mental health on one’s own perception of closeness) and the partner effect (partner’s poor mental health on one’s own perception of closeness). Our results suggest that when daughters’ mental health is poor, relationship closeness as perceived by mother and daughter may be weakened, and that this effect may in part be explained by poor communication between mother and daughter. Strategies to promote family communication, especially for families experiencing mental health problems, may aid in the development of closer mother–daughter relationships. Further, our results suggest the importance of investigating the potential bidirectional influence of mothers’ and daughters’ mental health on parent-adolescent relationship quality within a dyadic unit