The Effects of Embedded Skin Cancer Interventions on Sun-Safety Attitudes and Attention Paid to Tan Women on Instagram

Abstract

Background and ObjectivesBecause of high skin cancer risks for young women, it is vital that effective interventions reach and influence this demographic. Visual social media platforms, like Instagram, are popular with young women and are an appropriate intervention site; yet, they also host competing images idealizing tan skin. The present study tested the ability of digital sun-safety interventions to affect self-control-related emotions and visual attention to subsequent tan-ideal images as well as sun-safety attitudes.MethodsWomen were recruited from a large public Mid-Atlantic university in the United States. Participants (N = 120) were randomly assigned to view an appearance benefits intervention, a self-control emotions intervention, or a control message, each designed to look like an Instagram sponsored story. After self-reporting self-compassion and anticipated pride, participants then viewed seven pairs of Instagram posts featuring either tan or pale women while an eye tracker assessed visual attention. Finally, participants self-reported their responses to questions assessing sun-safety-related norms, efficacy, and attitudes.ResultsA mixed design analysis of covariance revealed that women who first viewed the appearance benefits intervention story spent less time visually fixated on Instagram images of tan women than did those who viewed the self-control emotions intervention or control message (p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.087). Regressions also revealed interactions between the intervention conditions and feelings of anticipated pride on both visual attention and sun-safety attitudes.ConclusionSponsored stories on Instagram can promote sun-safety attitudes, depending on the emotional responses they generate. Additionally, sponsored interventions can affect subsequent visual attention.

The New Media Landscape and Its Effects on Skin Cancer Diagnostics, Prognostics, and Prevention: Scoping Review

“…SM can perpetuate the tanned ideology, but with targeted interventions, this risk can be mitigated. Appearance-focused interventions, or interventions that use aging, wrinkles, and sunspots in their educational material, successfully reduced Instagram users’ positive associations with SM images featuring people with tanned skin [ 40 ]. Increasing SM literacy can also decrease the internalization of the tanned ideology.…”

Comunicación para la prevención de cáncer de piel: un análisis del uso de Facebook para la comunicación de salud en España

“…La toma de conciencia sobre los factores de riesgo y las conductas preventivas ante el cáncer de piel es limitada en la sociedad (Dawson et al, 2011); sobre todo en la juventud, que es vulnerable para imitar conductas de riesgo que ven en las redes sociales como el bronceado (De la Garza et al, 2021). Diversos estudios han testado que la alfabetización mediática sobre los factores de riesgo -causas-del cáncer de piel en las redes sociales (Mingoiaa et al, 2020;Myrick et al, 2022), y particularmente en Facebook (Mingoiaa et al, 2019), provoca cambios de actitud hacia el bronceado entre los jóvenes universitarios. Su temprana edad hace que los comportamientos de riesgo ante la exposición solar y el bronceado sean potencialmente modificables mediante la educación preventiva (Dessinioti y Stratigos, 2022).…”

Comunicación para prevenir el cáncer de piel: un análisis del uso estratégico de la red social Twitter en España

“…Si una enfermedad se encuadra como prevenible porque las causas se pueden controlar, hará más probable que el público piense de ese modo sobre la enfermedad y cambie sus conductas de riesgo. Diversos estudios muestran la relación entre la educación preventiva sobre el cáncer de piel en redes sociales y la modificación de comportamientos de riesgo en los jóvenes (Falzone et al, 2017;Mingoia et al, 2019;Vasconcelos et al, 2020;Mingoiaa et al, 2020;Myrick et al, 2022). De igual modo, investigaciones previas arrojan que los factores que producen cáncer de piel, así como su prevención y tratamientos reciben poca representación en el contenido de redes sociales (Tang y Park, 2017;Cho et al, 2018;Vasconcelos et al, 2020;Merten et al, 2022).…”