Alcohol Counter Marketing as a Breast Cancer Prevention Strategy in Young Women
Summary
This randomized trial aims to test the effects of co-created breast cancer counter marketing intervention messages for reducing alcohol consumption and impacting awareness and beliefs about the breast cancer risks from alcohol consumption in young adult women.
Detailed description
This is an experimental behavioral study that builds upon prior work that engaged young adult women to collaboratively co-create counter marketing intervention content designed for digital media using open artificial intelligence, text-to-image content generation platform during real-time discussions. This study will test the refined and finalized co-created intervention content in a randomized trial by measuring alcohol consumption behavior and awareness and beliefs about the breast cancer risks from alcohol consumption. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention arm or to a control arm. Participants in the intervention arm will receive the co-created intervention content twice a week for 6 weeks. Participants in the control arm will receive text only content about skin cancer risk and prevention for the same duration and dose. Up to 10% of participants from each trial arm will be randomly selected to wear a wrist-worm transdermal alcohol biosensor to capture an objective biochemical measure of alcohol consumption remotely.
Arms & interventions
- BehavioralAlcohol and Breast Cancer Risk Messages
Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention or control arm. In the intervention arm, participants will receive the co-created intervention content. The investigators co-created the intervention content, including visuals and text, through focus groups with young adult women and refined the draft content based on additional feedback from focus groups, thereby ascertaining the views of young adult women. The intervention content aligns with a conceptual framework and includes messaging with the following themes: 1) Risks of breast cancer from alcohol consumption; 2) Efficacy content promoting behavior change; 3) Relevance to young adult women; 4) Mechanisms through which alcohol consumption increases breast cancer risk; 5) Exposing the alcohol industry's deceptive marketing practices; 6) Comparisons to other behavioral risk factors for cancer.
- BehavioralSkin Cancer Risk Messages
Participants in the control arm will receive text only content about skin cancer risk and prevention. This is based on intervention trials in other cancer prevention areas (e.g., tobacco) where the investigators used this type of control, provides a contact-matched comparison relative to the intervention arm, and ensures consistency of the protocol (e.g., timing of completion and content of measures to be completed) across the trial arms.
Outcome measures
Primary
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption will be measured using the Timeline Follow Back, a valid self-report measure of daily alcohol consumption over the past 4 weeks. The Timeline Follow Back captures alcohol consumed each day in the past 4 weeks. The measure is administered at the end of the intervention, 4 weeks post intervention, and 12 weeks post intervention. Lower alcohol consumption is considered a better outcome.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Daily Alcohol Consumption
Daily alcohol consumption will be measured using Ecological Momentary Assessments, brief daily questions sent to participants' mobile phones that participants answer about whether they drank alcohol and, if so, how much. Daily assessment periods capture alcohol consumption from the end of the intervention to 4 weeks post-intervention, and from 8 weeks to 12 weeks post intervention. Lower daily alcohol consumption is considered a better outcome.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Intentions to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Intentions to reduce alcohol consumption will be measured with two valid self-report items on a 1-4 scale. The items are averaged to create an overall score. Higher intentions to reduce alcohol consumption is considered a better outcome. The measure is administered at the end of the intervention, 4 weeks post intervention, and 12 weeks post intervention.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk Beliefs
Alcohol and breast cancer risk beliefs will be measured using 2 valid self-report items on a 1 to 7 scale. Items will assess perceived risk of breast cancer from drinking alcohol and worry about the harm of breast cancer from drinking alcohol. The items are averaged to create an overall score. Higher risk beliefs are considered a better outcome. The measure is administered at the end of the intervention, 4 weeks post intervention, and 12 weeks post intervention.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Alcohol and Breast Cancer Efficacy Beliefs
Alcohol and breast cancer efficacy beliefs will be measured using 2 valid self-report items on a 1 to 7 scale. Items will assess confidence that reducing drinking can lower breast cancer risks and perceived reduction in breast cancer risk from reducing drinking. The items are averaged to create an overall score. Higher efficacy beliefs are considered a better outcome. The measure is administered at the end of the intervention, 4 weeks post intervention, and 12 weeks post intervention.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Awareness of the Risks of Breast Cancer from Drinking Alcohol
Awareness of the breast cancer risks from drinking alcohol will be measured using a single valid self-report item on a 1 to 5 scale. The item measures agreement or disagreement that drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. Higher values are considered better outcomes. The measure is administered at the end of the intervention, 4 weeks post intervention, and 12 weeks post intervention.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Transdermal Alcohol Concentration
Transdermal alcohol concentration will be measured with wearable biosensors in a subsample of up to 10% of participants. The biosensors capture drinking days confirmed by transdermal alcohol consumption. Fewer drinking days are considered a better outcome. Participants will wear biosensors consumption from the end of the intervention to 4 weeks post-intervention, and from 8 weeks to 12 weeks post intervention.
Time frame: 12 weeks post intervention
Eligibility criteria
Study locations (1)
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210