Alcohol and Cancer Message Testing Experiment
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age21+
SponsorUniversity of Connecticut
About this trial
Alcohol increases the risk for at least seven cancers, yet recent estimates suggest only between one-third and one-half of US adults are aware of this risk. The current study aims to develop and test alcohol-cancer messages designed for a mass media public health campaign. The messages will be informed by theory-based constructs proximal to health behavior change (e.g., perceived likelihood/severity of harm, response efficacy). We will evaluate messages via an online, cross-sectional message testing randomized experiment. Participants will be US adults aged 21+ recruited from Qualtrics Panels.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
currently reside in the US;
be aged 21 years or older; and
speak English.
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Alcohol health harm message exposure
BehavioralRandomized exposure to one of five alcohol-cancer health campaign message frames, or a non-cancer alcohol harms frame.
Treatment groups
1,400 Participants
are divided into 7 treatment groups7
Treatment groupsSee each treatment group below.
Group A: Perceived likelihood frameExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Harm reduction frameExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group C: Perceived severity frameExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group D: Response efficacy frameExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group E: Harm prevention frameExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group F: Surgeon General's frameActive comparator 1 intervention
Group G: ControlNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Perceived message effectiveness - effects perceptions
A 3-item scale adapted from prior effects perception PME and substance use literature. After each message exposure, participants will be asked to respond to the following items: 1) This message discourages me from wanting to drink alcohol; 2) This message makes me concerned about the health effects of drinking alcohol; and 3) This message makes drinking alcohol seem unpleasant to me. Items will be assessed on a 5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). We will assess internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Assuming adequate measure reliability, we will average the items into a single composite PME measure.
Time frame
Day 1; post intervention exposureSecondary outcomes
1
Drinking intentions
Intentions will be assessed with a 3-item scale adapted from prior substance use and health communication research. Participants will answer each of the following questions: How likely is it that you will drink alcohol in the... 1) next week, 2) next month, and 3) next year. Responses will be on 5-point scales ranging from "not at all" (1) to "extremely" (5). We will assess internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Assuming adequate measure reliability, we will average the items into a single composite measure.
Time frame
Day 1; post intervention exposure2
Message reactance
Message reactance will be assessed with a brief 3-item scale used in prior research. Participants will respond to the following statements: 1) This message is trying to manipulate me, 2) The health effect in this message is overblown, and 3) This message annoys me. Responses will be assessed on 5-point scales ranging from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly agree" (5). We will assess internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Assuming adequate measure reliability, we will average the items into a single composite measure.
Time frame
Day 1; post intervention exposure3
Non-alcoholic beer message perceptions
A single item that has participants respond to the following statement: "This message makes me think drinking non-alcoholic beer is healthier than alcoholic beer." This item will be assessed on a 5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).
Time frame
Day 1; post intervention exposure4
Perceived message effectiveness - message perceptions
A 5-item scale assessing perceptions of each message, adapted from prior work. After each message exposure, participants will respond to the following items: 1) "This message grabs my attention"; 2) "This message is believable"; 3) "This message is credible"; 4) "This message is trustworthy"; and 5) "I learned something new from this message." Items will be assessed on a 5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). We will assess internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Assuming adequate measure reliability, we will average the items into a single composite measure.
Time frame
Day 1; post intervention exposureLocations
Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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