Impact of Smoking Information on Concerns About Radon
- Conditions
- Radon ExposureLung NeoplasmsIntentionRisk Reduction BehaviorSmoking
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Radon and Smoking IsolatedBehavioral: Radon & Smoking SynergisticBehavioral: Radon OnlyBehavioral: IdahoBehavioral: EPA
- Registration Number
- NCT03499535
- Lead Sponsor
- Paul Windschitl
- Brief Summary
Despite a push for tailored messages, health communications are often aimed at, and viewed by, people with varying levels of risk. This project examined-in the context of radon risk messages-whether information relevant to high-risk individuals can have an unintended influence on lower-risk individuals. Specifically, the investigators assessed whether information about lung-cancer risk from smoking reduced concerns about lung-cancer risk from radon among nonsmokers. The investigators hypothesized that non-smokers who read a message that included smoking-relevant information would express less concern about the effects of radon exposure and less interest in testing their home compared to those who read a version in which smoking-relevant information was excluded. Two studies were conducted. Although the investigators did not exclude smokers, the focus was on participants self-identifying as nonsmokers (including never smokers and former smokers).
- Detailed Description
Despite a push for tailored messages, health communications are often aimed at, and viewed by, people with varying levels of risk. This project examined-in the context of radon risk messages-whether information relevant to high-risk individuals can have an unintended influence on lower-risk individuals. Specifically, the investigators assessed whether information about lung-cancer risk from smoking reduced concerns about lung-cancer risk from radon among nonsmokers. The investigators hypothesized that non-smokers who read a message that included smoking-relevant information would express less concern about the effects of radon exposure and less interest in testing their home compared to those who read a version in which smoking-relevant information was excluded. Two studies were conducted. Although the investigators did not exclude smokers, the focus was on participants self-identifying as nonsmokers (including never smokers and former smokers). Participants in both studies were recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Participants viewed radon messages that varied in the information they communicated about smoking's effect on lung cancer. In Study 1, smoking information was included or excluded from messages assembled from existing radon pamphlets. In Study 2, versions of a new radon message either excluded smoking information, described smoking as a major cause of lung cancer, or also described smoking's synergistic effect with radon on lung cancer risk. After viewing a radon health message, participants completed a variety of measures. Primary measures assessed respondents' anticipated sense of concern and related reactions if they learned that they/their home had been exposed to elevated levels of radon. Other key measures included questions about participants' interest and intention to test their home for radon.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 1390
- Live within the US
- Have an Amazon Mechanical Turk account (website where online study was posted)
- None
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- FACTORIAL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Study 1: Radon Only / Idaho Idaho Participants viewed only radon risk information taken from Idaho's Department of Health and Human Welfare's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 2: Radon and Smoking Isolated Radon and Smoking Isolated Participants viewed a radon-and-smoking-isolated message that covered the individual effects of radon and of smoking on lung cancer, but without mentioning their synergistic effect. Study 1: Radon&Smoking Synergistic/Idaho Radon & Smoking Synergistic Participants viewed radon and smoking risk information taken from Idaho's Department of Health and Human Welfare's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 2: Radon Only Radon Only Participants viewed a radon-only message that focused only on the effect of radon on lung-cancer risk. Study 1: Radon&Smoking Synergistic/EPA Radon & Smoking Synergistic Participants viewed radon and smoking risk information taken from the EPA's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 1: Radon Only / Idaho Radon Only Participants viewed only radon risk information taken from Idaho's Department of Health and Human Welfare's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 1: Radon&Smoking Synergistic/EPA EPA Participants viewed radon and smoking risk information taken from the EPA's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 1: Radon&Smoking Synergistic/Idaho Idaho Participants viewed radon and smoking risk information taken from Idaho's Department of Health and Human Welfare's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 1: Radon Only / EPA Radon Only Participants viewed only radon risk information taken from the EPA's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 1: Radon Only / EPA EPA Participants viewed only radon risk information taken from the EPA's pamphlet on the dangers of radon gas exposure. Study 2: Radon & Smoking Synergistic Radon & Smoking Synergistic Participants viewed a radon-and-smoking-synergistic message that covered the individual effects of radon and of smoking but that also included information about their synergistic effect.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Conditional Concern Composite Immediately post-intervention (approx. 1 minute) Composite formed from 4 conditional questions assessing concern, perceived impact on risk and comparative risk, and threat--if exposed to radon
Interest in Testing Composite Immediately post-intervention (approx. 2 minutes) Composite formed from 2 questions assessing importance and intention to test home for radon
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Likelihood Judgments about Lung Cancer Immediately post-intervention (approx. 4 minutes) Three items assessing perceived likelihood of developing lung cancer
Worry Elicited by Health Message Immediately post-intervention (approx. 2 minutes) Single question assessing worry elicited by the health communication material
Concern about Loved Ones If Exposed to Radon Immediately post-intervention (approx. 4 minutes) Rated how concerned they would be about loved ones if they learned their home had high radon (Study 2)
Elect to Read More Immediately post-intervention (approx. 4 minutes) Participants given option to be presented with more information at the end of the session about testing for radon (Study 2).
Elect to Leave Email for Raffle Immediately post-intervention (approx. 4 minutes) Participants given option to leave email address in case they won one of the 20 radon kits being raffled (Study 2).