The amount of cancer-related information available in the media and other sources continues to increase each year. We wondered how people make use of such content in making specific health decisions. We studied both the information they actively seek (“seeking”) and that which they encounter in a less purposive way (“scanning”) through a nationally representative survey of adults aged 40–70 years (n=2,489) focused on information use around three prevention behaviors (dieting, fruit and vegetable consumption and exercising) and three screening test behaviors (prostate-specific antigen, colonoscopy, mammogram). Overall, respondents reported a great deal of scanning and somewhat less seeking (on average 62% versus 28% for each behavior), and used a range of sources including mass media, interpersonal conversations and the Internet, alongside physicians. Seeking was predicted by female gender; age of 55–64 vs. 40–44; higher education; Black race and Hispanic ethnicity and being married. Scanning was predicted by older age, female gender and education. Respondents were fairly consistent in their place on a typology of scanning and seeking across behaviors. Seeking was associated with all six behaviors and scanning was associated with three of six behaviors.

This paper reports the in-patient rehabilitation admission and discharge scores on a comprehensive series of balance and mobility measures for 109 stroke patients (49.5 per cent female) with a mean (SD) age of 72.9 (10.4). The results reflect good outcomes regarding discharge destination (77 per cent discharged to own or families' home), and all balance and mobility measures improved significantly during rehabilitation (p<0.05). However, when performance at discharge was compared with values reported for healthy older people, the dynamic balance and mobility measures identified marked residual problems. Only 7 per cent of patients met all four criteria defined for independent community ambulation. These results are discussed in the context of modifying clinical practice to improve community ambulation outcomes for stroke patients.

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk of contracting and transmitting and hepatitis C virus (HCV). While accurate screening tests and effective treatment are increasingly available, prior research indicates that many PWID are unaware of their HCV status.MethodsWe examined characteristics associated with HCV screening among 553 PWID utilizing a free, multi-site syringe exchange program (SEP) in 7 cities throughout Wisconsin. All participants completed an 88-item, computerized survey assessing past experiences with HCV testing, HCV transmission risk behaviors, and drug use patterns. A subset of 362 clients responded to a series of open-ended questions eliciting their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to screening for HCV. Transcripts of these responses were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis.ResultsMost respondents (88%) reported receiving a HCV test in the past, and most of these (74%) were tested during the preceding 12 months. Despite the availability of free HCV screening at the SEP, fewer than 20% of respondents had ever received a test at a syringe exchange site. Clients were more likely to receive HCV screening in the past year if they had a primary care provider, higher educational attainment, lived in a large metropolitan area, and a prior history of opioid overdose. Themes identified through qualitative analysis suggested important roles of access to medical care and prevention services, and nonjudgmental providers.ConclusionsOur results suggest that drug-injecting individuals who reside in non-urban settings, who have poor access to primary care, or who have less education may encounter significant barriers to routine HCV screening. Expanded access to primary health care and prevention services, especially in non-urban areas, could address an unmet need for individuals at high risk for HCV.

Testing hypotheses derived from regret and mood management theories, this research explores how regretted experiences impact interest in viewing experience-relevant TV programming and such viewing's effects on program enjoyment and felt regret. One hundred and forty-four participants, half of whom had been unfaithful in romantic relationships, were asked first to rate their interest in viewing a series of storylines and then to provide their reactions to 1 of 2 versions of a TV program depicting cheating behavior. Largely consistent with hypotheses, results indicated that those who had both cheated and felt regret about their behavior were more likely than others to want to watch experience-related storylines, were no less likely to enjoy watching such programming, and particularly preferred viewing the program version in which the main character rationalized, rather than expressed regret for, her behavior. Both program versions, however, reduced regret equally. A survey of 206 city residents also offered evidence consistent with predictions based on regret theory. Overall, this research speaks to the value of integrating theories of emotion with media theory to enhance the latter's predictive ability.

Objective Researchers argue that gain framed messages should be more effective for prevention behaviors while loss frames should be more effective for detection behaviors (Rothman & Salovey, 1997). Evidence for this taxonomy has been mixed. This study examines whether the effects of gain and loss framed messages on HIV testing intentions is moderated by perceived risk of a positive result. Methods This experiment was conducted on-line and utilizes a single factor (frame: gain/loss) between subjects design, with a separate HIV test promotion control and a no message control to examine whether perceived risk of a positive test result moderates the effects of framed messages on intentions to seek an HIV test in the next 3 months. The sample (N=1052; age M = 22, SD = 2.22), recruited through Survey Sampling International, included 51% Black women (49% White women). Results HIV test promotion messages were more effective than no message but there were no other main effects for condition. Results also demonstrate a significant interaction between message frame and perceived risk, which is mediated through elaborative processing of the message. The interaction demonstrated an advantage for the loss framed message among women with some perceived risk and an advantage for the gain framed message among women with low perceived risk. Conclusion Results imply that the prevention/detection function of the behavior may be an inadequate distinction in the consideration of the effectiveness of framed messages promoting HIV testing. Rather, this study demonstrates that risk perceptions are an important moderator of framing effects.

This study used the Integrative Model as a framework to examine whether religiosity delays onset of coitus among a longitudinal sample of virgins, and investigated the causal pathways of this relationship. In addition, this study examined the behavioral beliefs about the consequences of engaging in sex, which distinguishes between youth who vary in level of religiosity. A further analysis was also conducted to examine whether religiosity offers protective effects in terms of progression toward sexual intercourse on a sexual behavior index. The sexual behavior index assumes a progressive nature of sexual behaviors, and includes the following seven behaviors: kissing, having breasts touched (touching for boys), genital touching, receiving oral sex, vaginal intercourse, giving oral sex, and receiving (or giving) anal sex. Religiosity at baseline was negatively associated with sexual debut one year later. This relationship was mediated through attitudes toward personally engaging in sexual intercourse. Religiosity at baseline was also negatively associated with scores on the sexual behavior index one year later. These results suggest that religiosity offers protective effects for both coital and noncoital sexual behaviors.

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Background: Consistent use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a biomedical intervention for HIV seronegative persons, has been shown to significantly decrease HIV acquisition. Black women are a viable population segment to consider for PrEP use as their HIV incidence is overwhelmingly higher than all other women groups. Methods: We developed and piloted a cultural-and age-appropriate PrEP education intervention to determine Black college women's: 1) perceptions of and receptivity to PrEP use; and 2) preferences for PrEP information delivery. Results: We recruited N = 43 Black college women. Most of our sample were sophomore and Juniors of whom identified as heterosexual (83%) and single (67%). Over 50% of young women had never been HIV tested and only 28% had been tested in the last 6 months; however, 100% of the women believed their HIV status was negative. Prior to participating in the study, most Black college women (67%) had not heard about PrEP and were unsure or apprehensive (72%) to initiate PrEP. The Black college women indicated that our educational intervention was extremely helpful (67%) for understanding and learning about PrEP. Post participating in our PrEP education module, regardless of delivery modality, participants reported being likely (62.55-70%) to initiate PrEP in the future. Conclusions: Results indicate that Black college women would strongly consider PrEP when provided with basic knowledge, regardless of delivery modality. Participants also showed greater appreciation for in-person delivery and found it to be significantly more helpful and of greater quality for learning about PrEP; comprehension or perceived usefulness of PrEP-related content was relatively the same between groups. PrEP content delivery-via in-person or online methodsis contingent on learning style and presentation. Trial registration: This study has been registered under the ISRCTN Registry as of July 6, 2020. The trial registration number is ISRCTN14792715. This study was retrospectively registered.