NCT03499535

Impact of Smoking Information on Concerns About Radon

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1,390 (actual)
• Sponsor: Paul Windschitl · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Conditions

• Lung Neoplasms
• Radon Exposure
• Smoking
• Intention
• Risk Reduction Behavior

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Radon & Smoking Synergistic	Participants viewed health information detailing the risks of developing lung cancer from exposure to radon gas, smoking, and their synergistic effects. This intervention represents the type of information most commonly presented in radon risk communications.
BEHAVIORAL	Radon Only	Participants viewed health information detailing the risks of developing lung cancer from radon exposure. No information about the risks for developing lung cancer associated with smoking or its synergistic effect with radon exposure are included.
BEHAVIORAL	Radon and Smoking Isolated	Participants viewed health information detailing the risks of developing lung cancer from radon exposure and smoking. No information describing the synergistic effects of smoking and radon exposure on lung cancer risk are included.
BEHAVIORAL	EPA	Health information modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) pamphlet on radon risk.
BEHAVIORAL	Idaho	Health information modeled after the Idaho Department of Health and Human Welfare's pamphlet on radon risk.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-08-07
• Primary completion: 2016-04-22
• Completion: 2016-04-22
• First posted: 2018-04-17
• Last updated: 2019-04-19