Communicating with Sensation Seekers: An fMRI Study of Neural Responses to Antidrug Public Service Announcements

This study examined the neural basis of processing high- and low-message sensation value (MSV) antidrug public service announcements (PSAs) in high (HSS) and low sensation seekers (LSS) using fMRI. HSS more strongly engaged the salience network when processing PSAs (versus LSS), suggesting that high-MSV PSAs attracted their attention. HSS and LSS participants who engaged higher level cognitive processing regions reported that the PSAs were more convincing and believable and recalled the PSAs better immediately after testing. In contrast, HSS and LSS participants who strongly engaged visual attention regions for viewing PSAs reported lower personal relevance. These findings provide neurobiological evidence that high-MSV content is salient to HSS, a primary target group for antidrug messages, and additional cognitive processing is associated with higher perceived message effectiveness.     

Predictors and the Role of Attitude Toward the Message and Perceived Message Quality in Gain- and Loss-Frame Antidrug Persuasion of Adolescents

This study examines predictors and the role of attitude toward the message and perceived message quality in the gain- and loss-framed antidrug persuasion of adolescents. Identification predicted the perceived effectiveness of gain- but not loss-frame ads, whereas perceived realism contributed to the perceived effectiveness of both frame ads. Positive affect predicted the attitude toward the gain-frame ads, whereas negative affect predicted the perceived quality of the loss-frame ads. Attitude toward the message was a stronger predictor of the effectiveness of gain-frame ads, while perceived message quality but not attitude toward the message was correlated with the effectiveness of loss-frame ads. Discussion focuses on implications for formative evaluation of health communication campaign messages.     

Individual differences and context: factors mediating recall of anti-drug public service announcements

A sample of 597 participants was surveyed to examine factors that influence recall of antidrug public service announcements (PSAs). High sensation-seekers and polydrug users recalled somewhat more antidrug PSAs than low sensation-seekers and nonusers. Regression analyses indicated that total hours of television viewing did not predict recall of televised antidrug PSAs; instead, recall was predicted by preference for specific program genres, such as sports, news shows, action programs, sitcoms, and stand-up/comedy channel programs, and individual-difference variables such as sensation-seeking, drug use, and gender. The findings provide more evidence for the sensation-seeking targeting (SENTAR) approach and demonstrate the relevance of selective exposure and program contexts in reaching potential drug users.     

Individual Differences and Context: Factors Mediating Recall of Anti-Drug Public Service Announcements

A sample of 597 participants was surveyed to examine factors that influence recall of antidrug public service announcements (PSAs). High sensation-seekers and polydrug users recalled somewhat more antidrug PSAs than low sensation-seekers and nonusers. Regression analyses indicated that total hours of television viewing did not predict recall of televised antidrug PSAs; instead, recall was predicted by preference for specific program genres, such as sports, news shows, action programs, sitcoms, and stand-up/comedy channel programs, and individual-difference variables such as sensation-seeking, drug use, and gender. The findings provide more evidence for the sensation-seeking targeting (SENTAR) approach and demonstrate the relevance of selective exposure and program contexts in reaching potential drug users.     

Testing the Effect of Vapor in ENDS Public Service Announcements on Current Smokers and ENDS Users’ Psychophysiological Responses and Smoking and Vaping Urge

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are increasingly popular, especially among young adults. Many ENDS advertisements and anti-ENDS public service announcements (PSAs) contain portrayals of ENDS use and visible vapor. Though it is plausible that vapor would be processed in similar ways to traditional combustible cigarette smoking cues, this has not been consistently established. In a laboratory session, we assessed cognitive and emotional processing using psychophysiological measures (e.g., facial electromyography, heart rate, and skin conductance) among young participants who were either smokers only (N = 43) or dual users of ENDS and cigarettes (N = 28) as they viewed four anti-vaping PSAs depicting either vapor or no vapor. Self-report urge to smoke traditional cigarettes and urge to vape and recognition (encoding) of information within the PSAs were measured following each PSA. Orbicularis oculi activation (positive emotion), heart rate deceleration (cognitive resource allocation), recognition (encoding), and vaping urge were greater in the vapor-present condition relative to vapor-absent condition. Hence, the presence of vapor in anti-vaping PSAs activates the approach/appetitive motivational system indicated by greater positive emotion, cognitive resource allocation, and memory, but also greater vaping urge compared to PSAs absent in vapor. Recommendations for inclusion of vapor and design of anti-vaping PSAs are discussed.     

What kind of exposure reduces children''s food neophobia?: Looking vs. tasting

To determine the relative effectiveness of two different types of exposure on young children's preference for initially novel foods, 51 two- to five-year-old children received either "look" or "taste" exposures to seven novel fruits. Foods were exposed five, 10 or 15 times, and one food remained novel. Following the exposures, children made two judgments of each of the 21 pairs: one based on looking, the other on tasting the foods. Thurstone Case V scaling solutions were correlated with exposure frequency, and these were significant for the visual judgments of the looked at foods (r = 0.91), the visual judgments of the tasted (and looked at) foods (r = 0.97) and the taste judgments of the tasted foods (r = 0.94). The only non-significant relationship was for the taste judgments of the looked at (but never tasted) foods (r = 0.24). The results indicate that to obtain significant positive changes in preference, experience with the food must include experience in the modality that is relevant for the judgments. While visual experience produced enhanced visual preference judgments, visual experience was not sufficient to produce significantly enhanced taste preferences. This finding is consistent with a "learned safety" interpretation of the exposure effects noted in the taste judgments: experiences with novel tastes that are not followed by negative gastrointestinal consequences can produce enhanced taste preference.     

Antismoking Ads at the Point of Sale: The Influence of Ad Type and Context on Ad Reactions

Efforts are underway to educate consumers about the dangers of smoking at the point of sale (POS). Research is limited about the efficacy of POS antismoking ads to guide campaign development. This study experimentally tests whether the type of antismoking ad and the context in which ads are viewed influence people’s reactions to the ads. A national convenience sample of 7,812 adult current smokers and recent quitters was randomized to 1 of 39 conditions. Participants viewed one of the four types of antismoking ads (negative health consequences—graphic, negative social consequences—intended emotive, benefits of quitting—informational, benefits of quitting—graphic) in one of the three contexts (alone, next to a cigarette ad, POS tobacco display). We assessed participants’ reactions to the ads, including perceived effectiveness, negative emotion, affective dissonance, and motivational reaction. Graphic ads elicited more negative emotion and affective dissonance than benefits of quitting ads. Graphic ads elicited higher perceived effectiveness and more affective dissonance than intended emotive ads. Antismoking ads fared best when viewed alone, and graphic ads were least influenced by the context in which they were viewed. These results suggest that in developing POS campaigns, it is important to consider the competitive pro-tobacco context in which antismoking ads will be viewed.     

Mechanisms of child abuse public service announcement effectiveness: roles of emotional response and perceived effectiveness

This study tests the processes through which child abuse public service announcements (PSAs) are effective. The proposed model builds upon the persuasion mediation model of Dillard and Peck (2000 ), which integrates emotional response and perceived effectiveness as antecedents of issue attitudes and behavioral intention. The model tested the mediating role of perceived effectiveness in the persuasion process. Multigroup structural equation modeling was performed for three different types of child abuse prevention PSAs shown on YouTube to 486 college students. The model was well fitted across all three child abuse PSAs. Emotional response seems to exert the largest influence on behavioral intention directly and indirectly through perceived effectiveness and issue attitudes. In addition, perceived effectiveness has both a direct and an indirect impact on behavioral intention.     

Strategies for nutritional counseling. Dietitians' attitudes and practice.

Responses to a questionnaire distributed to forty-four Midwest dietitians during the development of a program to train dietitians in patient counseling strategies are summarized. Dietitians rated forty-five strategies, divided into five broad categories: Instructional, motivational, behavioral, educational diagnosis, and assessment of compliance. Questions about each strategy included reported use, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers to implementation. Six nutritional consultants rated the relative innovativeness of the strategies. The results provide evidence that strategies currently being developed for training dietitians are compatible with dietetic practice, are often viewed favorably by practitioners, and are "teachable" to nutritionists.     

Online Illegal Drug Use Information: An Exploratory Analysis of Drug-Related Website Viewing by Adolescents

Given the uncertain effects of antidrug media campaigns, and the ease of finding online illegal drug information, research is needed on the Internet role in disseminating drug information to youths. This exploratory study analyzes National Survey of Parents and Youth (NSPY) data on drug website viewing among 12–18 year olds (N = 7,145). Approximately 10.4% reported drug-related website exposure: 5.4% viewed only websites that communicated how to avoid drugs or bad things about drugs (antidrug websites); 1.7% only viewed websites that communicated how to use drugs and good things about drugs (prodrug websites); and 3.2% viewed both types of websites. The low rates of viewing antidrug websites occurred despite efforts in the National Youth Antidrug Media Campaign (NYAMC) to encourage youths to visit such websites. Prodrug website viewers had used inhalants and been offered marijuana, perceived little risk in trying marijuana, intended to use marijuana, had close friends who used drugs, reported low parental monitoring, and had been exposed to antidrug media messages. Viewing antidrug websites was related to gender, income, likelihood of using marijuana in the next 12 months, having close friends who use drugs and talking to friends about avoiding drugs, parental monitoring, and drug prevention exposure. Prior prevention exposure increased drug website viewing overall, perhaps by increasing general curiosity about drugs. Because adolescents increasingly seek health information online, research is needed on how they use the Internet as a drug information source, the temporal relationships of prevention exposure and drug website viewing, and the effects of viewing prodrug websites on drug risk.     

The Effects of Retrieval Ease on Health Issue Judgments: Implications for Campaign Strategies

This paper examines the effects of retrieving information about a health ailment on judgments of the perceived severity of the disease and self-efficacy regarding prevention and treatment. The literature on metacognition suggests that recall tasks render two types of information accessible: the retrieved content, and the subjective experience of retrieving the content. Both types of information can influence judgments. Content-based thinking models hold that the more instances of an event people can retrieve, the higher they will estimate the frequency of the event to be. In contrast, experience-based thinking models suggest that when people experience difficulty in retrieving information regarding an event, they rate the event as less likely to occur. In the first experiment, ease of retrieval was manipulated by asking participants to list either a high or low number of consequences of an ailment. As expected, retrieval difficulty resulted in lower perceived disease severity. In the second experiment, ease of retrieval was manipulated by varying the number of disease prevention or treatment measures participants attempted to list. As predicted, retrieval difficulty resulted in lower self-efficacy regarding prevention and treatment. In experiment three, when information regarding a health issue was made accessible by exposure to public service announcements (PSAs), ease-of-retrieval effects were attenuated. Finally, in experiment four, exposure to PSAs encouraged content-based judgments when the issue was of great concern.     

How neuroticism affects responses to anti-smoking messages

The effect of trait neuroticism on college students' (n=200) responses to anti-smoking public service announcements (PSAs) was examined using a 2 (neuroticism: high vs. low)?× 3 (message type: personal testimony, secondhand smoke, and informative)?× 3 (message: nested within message type) design. We hypothesized that those high in neuroticism would be avoidant toward anti-smoking messages, have quicker and stronger negative reactions and perceive the messages as more biased and less involving. As hypothesized, those high in neuroticism were more likely to want to avoid thinking about smoking as a function of viewing the messages and more likely to see messages as biased; however, neuroticism did not affect judgments of message involvement. Tobacco use and gender also affected message bias and avoidance. Those scoring high in neuroticism also responded quicker to negative emotion assessments to messages. Implications for the importance of neuroticism in message design and message processing research are discussed.     

The effects of retrieval ease on health issue judgments: implications for campaign strategies

This paper examines the effects of retrieving information about a health ailment on judgments of the perceived severity of the disease and self-efficacy regarding prevention and treatment. The literature on metacognition suggests that recall tasks render two types of information accessible: the retrieved content, and the subjective experience of retrieving the content. Both types of information can influence judgments. Content-based thinking models hold that the more instances of an event people can retrieve, the higher they will estimate the frequency of the event to be. In contrast, experience-based thinking models suggest that when people experience difficulty in retrieving information regarding an event, they rate the event as less likely to occur. In the first experiment, ease of retrieval was manipulated by asking participants to list either a high or low number of consequences of an ailment. As expected, retrieval difficulty resulted in lower perceived disease severity. In the second experiment, ease of retrieval was manipulated by varying the number of disease prevention or treatment measures participants attempted to list. As predicted, retrieval difficulty resulted in lower self-efficacy regarding prevention and treatment. In experiment three, when information regarding a health issue was made accessible by exposure to public service announcements (PSAs), ease-of-retrieval effects were attenuated. Finally, in experiment four, exposure to PSAs encouraged content-based judgments when the issue was of great concern.     

Psychosocial influences on weight gain attitudes and behaviors during pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To examine pregnant women's weight-related attitudes and behaviors in relation to a constellation of psychosocial characteristics, prepregnancy body habitus, and gestational weight gain. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred-thirty women with low-risk, normal pregnancies. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study assessed attitudes about weight gain at 36 weeks' gestation. Psychosocial characteristics, including anxiety, depression, social support, emotionality, and pregnancy-specific and nonspecific stress appraisal were assessed between 28 and 36 weeks' gestation. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED: Principal components factor analysis, Pearson correlations, t tests, and analysis of variance. RESULT: A range of positive and negative attitudes about weight gain was expressed. Twenty-one percent (n=27) of the sample endorsed at least one weight-restrictive behavior during pregnancy. Women who reported more weight-restrictive behaviors were more anxious (r=.24, P<.01), depressed (r=.29,P<.001), angry (r=.29, P<.001), stressed (r=.23, P<.01), and felt less uplifted (r=-.21, P<.05) about their pregnancies in general. Higher Positive Pregnancy Body Image scores were associated with feeling better about the pregnancy in general (r=.35, P<.001), fewer depressive symptoms, and less anger (both r=.20, both P<.01). Women who were self conscious about their weight gain felt more hassled by their pregnancies (r=.21, P<.05), greater anger (r=.21, P<.05), and more support from partners (r=.22, P<.05). Prepregnancy body mass index was unrelated, but negative attitudes about weight gain existed even among women who gained within recommended ranges. CONCLUSION: Women's attitudes about weight gain in pregnancy are imbedded in their orientation toward pregnancy as well as their general psychological functioning. Effective nutrition counseling for pregnant women should include consideration of weight-restrictive behaviors, the degree to which the pregnancy is perceived as positive and uplifting, and whether weight gain attitudes may be associated with their relationship with a spouse or partner.     

How Neuroticism Affects Responses to Anti-Smoking Messages

The effect of trait neuroticism on college students' (n?=?200) responses to anti-smoking public service announcements (PSAs) was examined using a 2 (neuroticism: high vs. low)?×?3 (message type: personal testimony, secondhand smoke, and informative)?×?3 (message: nested within message type) design. We hypothesized that those high in neuroticism would be avoidant toward anti-smoking messages, have quicker and stronger negative reactions and perceive the messages as more biased and less involving. As hypothesized, those high in neuroticism were more likely to want to avoid thinking about smoking as a function of viewing the messages and more likely to see messages as biased; however, neuroticism did not affect judgments of message involvement. Tobacco use and gender also affected message bias and avoidance. Those scoring high in neuroticism also responded quicker to negative emotion assessments to messages. Implications for the importance of neuroticism in message design and message processing research are discussed.     

Insights From a Pilot Program to Integrate Medical and Social Services

This study examines lessons learned from the design, implementation, and early results of an integrated managed care pilot program linking member benefits of a Medicare-Medicaid health care plan with community services and supports. The health plan’s average monthly costs for members receiving an assessment and services declined by an economically meaningful, statistically significant amount in the postintervention period relative to the preintervention period compared with those who did not accept an assessment or services. The results along with the lesson learned from the pilot are viewed by the parties as supportive of further program development.     

Metabolic Risk Factor Reduction Through A Worksite Health Campaign: A Case Study Design

The purpose of this intervention study was to measure the impact of an onsite and online 12-week worksite heart-health campaign designed to reduce metabolic risk factors for employees at BMW of North America, LLC. All participants received three coaching sessions by a registered dietitian (RD), participated in eight educational sessions led by an RD, viewed their pre, midpoint and final biometric data online, and had access to other web-based tools and educational booklets. The program used team-based competition. At baseline and week 12, blood pressure, anthropometric and hematologic parameters were measured, including changes in weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and smoking habits. Of the 100 individuals that enrolled, 95 completed the program, and 87 met criteria to be eligible for data analysis. Paired t tests demonstrated significant reductions in weight (p<.0001), body mass index (p=.0047), waist circumference (p <.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p=.0018), and systolic blood pressure (p=.0012). Paired t tests for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose did not indicate any significant improvements. There was an improvement in body mass index and blood pressure classifications after completion of the program. A Friedman’s test of blood pressure classification demonstrated significant improvements in participants’ blood pressure classification from pre-program to midpoint, midpoint to end, and pre-program to end. These results support the effectiveness of a dietitian-led, team-based, worksite heart-health campaign with web-based education to reduce risk factors for metabolic syndrome.MeSH     

Experiences with a combined residency in internal and preventive medicine

BACKGROUND: The importance of integrating preventive medicine training into other residency programs was reinforced recently by the residency review committee for preventive medicine. Griffin Hospital in Derby CT has offered a 4-year integrated internal medicine and preventive medicine residency program since 1997. This article reports the outcomes of that program. METHODS: Data were collected from surveys of program graduates and the American Boards of Internal and Preventive Medicine in 2005-2007, and analyzed in 2007-2008. Graduates rated the program in regard to job preparation, the ease of transition to employment, the value of skills learned, the perceived quality of board preparation, and the quality of the program overall. Graduates rated themselves on core competencies set by the Accreditation Committee for Graduate Medical Education. RESULTS: Since 1997, the program has enrolled 22 residents. Residents and graduates contribute significantly toward quality of care at the hospital. Graduates take and pass at high rates the boards for both for internal and preventive medicine: 100% took internal medicine boards, 90% of them passed; 63% took preventive medicine boards, 100% of them passed). The program has recruited residents mainly through the match. Graduates rated most elements of the program highly. They felt well-prepared for their postgraduation jobs; most respondents reported routinely using preventive medicine skills learned during residency. Graduates either have gone into academic medicine (31%); public health (14%); clinical fellowships (18%); or primary care (9%); or they combine elements of clinical medicine and public health (28%). CONCLUSIONS: Integrating preventive medicine training into clinical residency programs may be an efficient, viable, and cost-effective way of creating more medical specialists with population-medicine skills.