Persuading Mothers to Perform Breast Cancer Prevention Practices with their Pre-adolescent Daughters: A Pilot Message Study

Silk KS1, Atkin C1, Yun D1, Bowman ND1, Johnson, JP2, Osuch J3, Pierce, KG4

1Department of Communication, Michigan State University; 2Zero Breast Cancer; 3Department of Surgery, Michigan State University; 4BVHP Health and Environmental Assessment Task Force

BACKGROUND:

Breast cancer prevention messages have traditionally targeted the behavior of adult females, recommending regular mammograms, breast self exams, and adopting a healthy lifestyle as key message components. Recent research associating pediatric overweight and exposures to certain estrogen-like chemicals with earlier onset of puberty, as defined by breast development, has extended the need to develop breast cancer prevention messages for pre-adolescent girls (Adzersen et al., 2003). However, as young girls are not equipped with enough resources to reduce breast cancer risk themselves, mothers play an important role in influencing lifestyle factors for their daughters (Austin, 1995). As a result, early messaging is recommended to mothers of pre-adolescent girls. The need for early messaging echoes the sentiment of the precautionary principle, which holds that it is always wise to take precautionary actions to prevent harmful consequences in advance, even in the absence of explicit evidence for such consequences (Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle, 1998). Messages are not always comprehensive of necessary health information, requiring individuals to take an active role in seeking and disseminating health information. Thus, outcome variables of the current study are warranted.

METHOD:

SAMPLE: Women (N = 59) were recruited to voluntarily participate in a web-based survey. Ages of the women ranged from 22 to 71, with a mean of 38.22, SD = 12.64. The sample consisted of 89.8% Caucasians, 8.5% Hispanics, and 1.7% Asian Americans, with a mean annual income of $55,000 to $75,000. Twenty-seven participants reported a family history of breast cancer.

PROCEDURE: The study used a 2 (message source: researcher vs. physician) x 2 (involvement: high vs. low) x 3 (message type: lifestyle vs. chemical vs. developmental) between-subjects factorial design. Participants were directed to a website that contained one of 12 possible message conditions and all study questions; they were asked to read the message and complete post-test measures related to message perceptions, attitude, efficacy, behavioral intention to engage in behaviors recommended by the message, and demographics.

H1: Controlling for age, income, and education, family history of breast cancer and having a daughter are positively related women’s intentions to seek more information regarding, talk to friends and family, and/or talk to a doctor about the message content.

CONCLUSION:

Preliminary pilot data suggest that:• Attitude toward breast cancer prevention messages was positively related to intentions to seek more

information and to talk with friends and family; it was not a good predictor of intention to talk with doctors.

• Having a daughter increases mother’ intentions to seek information and to talk with family, friends, and doctors about the message content.

• Researchers should continue to create messages that invoke prevention on behalf of daughters’ well-being because they have the potential to impact future behavior.

• For the final study, based on results not reported here, researchers should aim to strengthen the source manipulation, clarify measurement of efficacy constructs, remove the graphics behind the message, and maintain a 9th grade literacy level throughout all of the messages.

H2: The perceived authoritativeness of a breast cancer prevention message is positively related to women’s behavioral intentions to seek more information regarding, talk to friends and family, and/or talk to a doctor about the message content.

H3: Women’s attitudes about a breast cancer prevention message are positively related to their behavioral intentions to seek more information regarding, talk to friends and family, and/or talk to a doctor about the message content.