Using language intensity to increase the success of a family intervention to protect children from ultraviolet radiation: predictions from language expectancy theory.

BACKGROUND: Even though people are informed about skin cancer prevention, they do not always comply with prevention advice. From Language Expectancy Theory, it was predicted that messages with high language intensity would improve compliance with sun safety recommendations and that this effect would be enhanced with deductive argument style. METHODS: Parents (N = 841) from a pediatric clinic and elementary schools received sun safety messages (newsletters, brochures, tip cards) by mail that varied in language intensity and logical style. Effects on attitudes and behavior were tested in a pretest-posttest factorial design. RESULTS: As hypothesized, parents receiving messages with high- as opposed to low-intensity language complied more with sun safety advice. Messages with highly intense language were more persuasive when the arguments were formatted in a deductive style; low language intensity was more persuasive in inductively styled messages. CONCLUSIONS: By carefully adjusting messages features, health professionals can obtain further compliance beyond that produced by educating people about health risks and creating favorable attitudes and self-efficacy expectations. Highly intense language may be a good general strategy in prevention messages and works better when conclusions and recommendations are offered explicitly to recipients, especially when advice is aimed at reducing their personal risk.

Evaluation of the "Sunny Days, Healthy Ways" sun safety CD-ROM program for children in grades 4 and 5.

Computer-based sun safety instruction has many advantages that may be attractive to health educators in schools. An educational multimedia computer program on sun safety was produced on CD-ROM for children in grades 4 and 5, which was based on the "Sunny Days, Healthy Ways" sun safety curriculum (SDHW). Its effects on children's sun safety knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were evaluated with 162 students in 8 fourth and fifth grade classes in a randomized pretest-posttest 2 x 2 factorial design. Children interacting with the CD-ROM program showed significant improvements in knowledge (p = 0.007). The effect on knowledge may have indirectly improved children's sun protection (r = 0.201, p = 0.013), even though the CD-ROM program did not directly increase sun protection (p > .05) or improve attitudes (p > .05). The CD-ROM program may be a cost-effective and administratively acceptable sun safety instructional strategy, however, like many short prevention strategies, it will be most successful at conveying information on sun safety to children.

Predictors of oral health behaviors among elderly Japanese Americans.

As part of a series of studies on oral health behaviors of older persons, 81 elderly Japanese Americans were interviewed regarding their dental service utilization patterns, oral health attitudes, and dental status. The sample consisted of 35 Issei (first generation) and 46 Nisei (second generation) Japanese Americans. Because of the significant age difference between the Issei and Nisei, it was difficult to examine generational differences between the two groups. When age differences were controlled, there was no difference between the two generations in interval since their last dental visit. However, reasons for dental visits differed between the two groups, with the Issei more likely to seek help with dentures or general restorative work while the Nisei were more likely to schedule appointments for dental check-ups and cleaning. The best predictors of dental service utilization for the entire sample were the use of complete dentures, age, and education (R2 = .38), but when the respondent's perceived importance of oral health was entered into the equation, this variable accounted for more variance than age or education. The combination of complete dentures, importance, and age accounted for 41% of the variance in recency of dental service utilization. Locus of control, the belief component of attitudes, and overall attitude scores did not add significantly to the prediction of dental utilization.

Psychological impact of osseointegrated dental implants.

This longitudinal study of 39 patients who underwent treatment involving osseointegrated implants examined problems in oral and psychosocial functioning, expectations and experiences of difficulties with surgery, satisfaction with surgery, body image, neuroticism, self-concept, and extroversion. Patients completed six questionnaires from before phase 1 surgery to the final recall appointment for the new prosthesis (12 to 18 months after phase 1 surgery). The most common problems reported before treatment were those associated with eating; esthetics was less of a concern. Significant improvements in all problem areas were observed immediately after phase 2 surgery. Expectations of surgery-related problems were generally consistent with experiences immediately after phase 1 surgery, but more negative than experiences following phase 2 surgery. Body image before treatment was most negative vis-à-vis teeth. Significant improvements were found not only regarding teeth, but also on facial, mouth, and even overall body image. Satisfaction scores were generally high, but showed continued improvements through the final assessment. The only group experiencing negative outcomes consisted of patients scoring high on neuroticism.