title: A Web-Based Intervention to Reduce Indoor Tanning Motivations in Adolescents: a Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Youthful indoor tanning as few as ten sessions can increase the risk of melanoma by two to four times with each additional session adding another 2 % to the risk. Recent research estimates that indoor tanning can be linked to approximately 450,000 cases of skin cancer annually in the USA, Europe, and Australia. Despite these risks, indoor tanning remains popular with adolescents. This study tested the efficacy of a web-based skin cancer prevention intervention designed to reduce indoor tanning motivations in adolescent females. A nationally representative sample of 443 female teens was enrolled from an online panel into a two-arm, parallel group design, randomized controlled trial. Treatment participants received an appearance-focused intervention grounded in established health behavior change models. Controls viewed a teen alcohol prevention website. Outcome variables included willingness and intentions to indoor tan, willingness to sunless tan, and measures of indoor tanning attitudes and beliefs. The intervention decreased willingness and intentions to indoor tan and increased sunless tanning willingness relative to controls. We also examined indirect mechanisms of change through intervening variables (e.g., indoor tanning attitudes, norms, positive and negative expectancies) using the product of coefficient approach. The web-based intervention demonstrated efficacy in changing adolescent indoor tanning motivations and improving their orientation toward healthier alternatives. Results from the intervening variable analyses give guidance to future adolescent skin cancer prevention interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, The Academic Health Sciences Center, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA. hillhous@etsu.edu.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hillhouse
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.|Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turrisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Nichole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Scaglione
authors.affiliation: Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.|Department of Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cleveland
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, The Academic Health Sciences Center, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, The Academic Health Sciences Center, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA.
authors.forename: L Carter
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Florence
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D020407:Internet; D009042:Motivation; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends*
keywords: Adolescents; Indoor tanning; Melanoma prevention; National sample; Web-based intervention