Dataset Information

Cognitive and Affective Responses to Mass-media Based Genetic Risk Information in a Socio-demographically Diverse Sample of Smokers.

ABSTRACT: Many individuals receive information about genomics from the mass media. When media reports are about conditions that are considered behavioral, such as smoking, they may negatively affect some health-promoting cognitions. We examined how informing adult smokers about the genetic basis for nicotine addiction influenced smoking-related health cognitions and affect and whether responses varied by socio-demographics or genetics beliefs. We recruited 392 smokers (Mage = 44.5, 52.8% African American, 51.3% no college experience, 66.2% women) from public locations in a mid-sized Midwestern city. They were randomly assigned to read a news article describing either a pharmacy's decision to stop selling tobacco (n = 78) or the discovery of a gene associated with increased risk of nicotine addiction and lung cancer (n = 314). Participants also completed a survey assessing socio-demographics, health cognitions (quit intentions, self-efficacy, response efficacy, perceived risk), affect (worry, anticipated regret), genetic determinism, and other genetics beliefs. ANOVAs revealed no statistically significant main effects of genetic information on any health cognitions or affects. Linear regressions revealed that socio-demographics and genetics beliefs moderated very few effects. This suggests that concerns that mass media-based dissemination of genetic discoveries may have detrimental effects on smoking-related cognitions and affects are likely unwarranted.

SUBMITTER: Waters EA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6900866 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cognitive and Affective Responses to Mass-media Based Genetic Risk Information in a Socio-demographically Diverse Sample of Smokers.

Waters Erika A EA Ackerman Nicole N Wheeler Courtney S CS

Journal of health communication 20190916 9

Many individuals receive information about genomics from the mass media. When media reports are about conditions that are considered behavioral, such as smoking, they may negatively affect some health-promoting cognitions. We examined how informing adult smokers about the genetic basis for nicotine addiction influenced smoking-related health cognitions and affect and whether responses varied by socio-demographics or genetics beliefs. We recruited 392 smokers (Mage = 44.5, 52.8% African American, ...[more]

PMID: 31525122

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Project description:BackgroundSmoking is more prevalent among lower-income individuals and certain racial/ethnic minorities. Addressing tobacco cessation among diverse populations is an urgent public health priority. As Internet use continues to rise among all segments of the US population, Web-based interventions have enormous potential to reach priority populations. Conducting Web-based smoking cessation research in priority populations requires psychometrically sound measurement instruments. To date, only one published study has examined the psychometric properties of Internet-administered measures commonly used in Web-based cessation trials. However, the sample was homogeneous with regard to race/ethnicity and income. We sought to replicate and extend these findings in a more diverse sample of smokers.ObjectiveThe aim was to examine the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of measures commonly used in smoking cessation clinical trials among racial/ethnic minorities and smokers with lower income.MethodsParticipants were enrolled in a randomized trial of the efficacy of an Internet smoking cessation program between June 2005 and September 2006. Following a baseline telephone assessment and randomization into the parent trial, participants were recruited to the reliability substudy. In phase I of recruitment, all participants in the parent trial were recruited to the substudy; in phase II, all consecutive racial/ethnic minority participants in the parent trial were recruited. Race and ethnicity were assessed via self-report using two standard items from the US Office of Management and Budget. An email was sent 2 days after the telephone assessment with a link to the Internet survey. Measures examined were quit methods, perceived stress, depression, social support, smoking temptations, alcohol use, perceived health status, and income. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of Internet- versus telephone-administered measures were examined within four strata defined by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, racial/ethnic minority) and annual household income (US $40,000 or less, more than $40,000).ResultsOf the 442 individuals invited, 319 participated (72% response rate): 52.4% were non-Hispanic White, 22.9% Black, 11.6% Hispanic, 7.8% Asian, 4.4% American Indian / Alaska Native, and 1% Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander. About half (49.4%) reported an annual household income of US $40,000 or less, and 25.7% had a high school degree or less. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory to excellent across all strata for the majority of measures examined: 9 of 12 continuous variables had intraclass correlation coefficients > or = 0.70, and 10 of 18 binary variables and both ordinal variables had kappa coefficients > or = 0.70. Test-retest reliability of several quit methods varied across strata.ConclusionsRace/ethnicity and income do not affect the psychometric properties of most Internet-administered measures examined. This knowledge adds to the confidence of conducting Web-based smoking cessation research and strengthens the scientific rigor of collecting information via the Internet on racial/ethnic minority and low-income subgroups.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov NCT00282009 (parent trial).

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Dataset Information

Cognitive and Affective Responses to Mass-media Based Genetic Risk Information in a Socio-demographically Diverse Sample of Smokers.

Publications

Cognitive and Affective Responses to Mass-media Based Genetic Risk Information in a Socio-demographically Diverse Sample of Smokers.

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