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Examination of the Efficacy of an Appearance-Focused Intervention to Reduce UV Exposure

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Abstract

This study designed and implemented an appearance-based skin cancer prevention intervention in college-aged females. One hundred and forty-seven respondents were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Treatment respondents received a short workbook describing the appearance damaging effects of indoor tanning. At short-term follow-up (2 weeks later) treatment respondents had significantly more negative attitudes toward indoor tanning, and reported fewer intentions to indoor tan. At 2-month follow-up, treatment respondents reported indoor tanning one-half as much as control respondents in the previous 2 months. This appearance-based intervention was able to produce clinically significant changes in indoor tanning use tendencies that could have a beneficial effect on the future development of skin cancer.

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Correspondence to Joel J. Hillhouse.

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Hillhouse, J.J., Turrisi, R. Examination of the Efficacy of an Appearance-Focused Intervention to Reduce UV Exposure. J Behav Med 25, 395–409 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015870516460

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