Communicating to Farmers About Skin Cancer The Behavior Adaptation Model

Abstract

Although health campaigns promote avoidance of behaviors that put an individual's health at risk, often these behaviors cannot be avoided, and campaign messages designed to encourage behavior adaptation afford greater likelihood of success. With that in mind, a model ofhealth risk behavior adaptation was proposed and tested using four different behaviors in a communication campaign aimed at reducingfarmers' risk for skin cancer Farmers and farm wives answered a series ofquestions about their skin cancer prevention and detection behaviors andattitudes. Interpersonal expectancies, social resources, and actual procedural knowledge predicted perceived procedural knowledge and public commitment, which, in turn, predicted behavior adaptation.

Skin cancer preventative behaviors in state park workers: a pilot study

“…According to the social cognitive theory, communication may potentially enhance an individual's self-efficacy in his or her ability to successfully adopt the recommended behavior to prevent a specific disease or illness [34]. The previous literature showed that having received skin cancer prevention counseling by health care providers was positively associated with higher level of sun protection practices, higher frequency of clinical skin examination, greater self-efficacy to detect skin cancer, and higher knowledge regarding skin cancer prevention [35,36]. Future skin cancer preventative interventions with this at-risk group could be significantly strengthened by involving physicians and nurses to communicate or counsel about skin cancer and sun protection.…”

Public commitment as a motivator for weight loss

“…Bem's (1967) self-perception theory suggests that individuals who make a public commitment to an action may perceive the act of making a public commitment as a signal of their strong personal commitment and motivation to engage in the promised action. As stated earlier, making a public commitment to a goal strengthens one's personal motivation to act due to anticipated personal and social disapproval for failure to follow through with the promised actions (Parrott et al, 1998). Further, individuals tend to have a strong desire to appear consistent and rational in the eyes of others (Tedeschi, 1981).…”

“…Attitudes stated publicly are relatively stable and are more likely to result in consistent behaviors (Pallak, Cook, & Sullivan, 1980). Public commitment to a goal (e.g., placing a sticker supporting a presidential candidate on one's car) contributes to one's motivation to act due to anticipated personal and social disapproval and penalties for failure to follow through with the promised activities (Parrott et al, 1998). People have a strong desire to appear consistent and rational in the eyes of others (Tedeschi, 1981).…”

Using coaches as role models of sun protection for youth: Georgia's “got youth covered” project

“…Most people recognize, for example, that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and that it is caused by overexposure to the sun. Few know that sunscreen should be applied 20-30 minutes before going into the sun to increase its response efficacy (Parrott et al, 1998). The former illustrates factual knowledge, while the latter is an example of procedural knowledge, which should contribute to coaches' feelings of confidence that they know how to protect themselves from the sun and promotion of sun protection to youth.…”

“…Numerous theories of persuasion and social influence processes, including social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986), the health belief model (Rosenstock, 1974), and the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980), posit that role models importantly affect individuals' behavior. Role models are particularly significant sources of influence in situations where individuals are forming habits, offering a method for others to learn vicariously through observation of, or directly through communication with role models (Parrott, Monahan, Ainsworth, & Steiner, 1998). Children in middle childhood, ages 7 to 10 years, regard peers and parents as the most credible role models, and are motivated by social norms and the need for acceptance (Austin, 1995).…”