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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04055272

A Mobile Text Messaging Intervention for Indoor Tanning Addiction

The purpose of this study is to test the effects of messages communicating the risks (i.e., health harms, addictiveness) of indoor tanning delivered via mobile text messaging among young adult women ages 18 to 30 years who meet screening criteria for indoor tanning addiction.

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Key information

Conditions

Indoor Tanning Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Skin Diseases Skin Neoplasms Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

18 year–30 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Georgetown University

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20007, United States

About this study

This is a two arm randomized controlled trial to test the effects of messages communicating the risks of indoor tanning delivered via mobile text messaging as a strategy for promoting cessation among young adult women who meet screening criteria for indoor tanning addiction. Eligible participants are young adult women ages 18 to 30 years who meet screening criteria for indoor tanning addiction and have access to the internet and a personal mobile phone to complete study procedures. Participants will complete baseline measures and then be randomized to the study arms. The text messaging intervention exposure in the intervention arm will last for four weeks. The control arm will be given basic indoor tanning education information and will not receive any intervention. Follow up assessments capturing study outcomes will be administered at 1 month (i.e., immediately post-intervention) and three months post-intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Female
  • Age between 18 and 30 years
  • Meet self-report criteria for tanning addiction
  • Has access to the internet to complete study procedures
  • Has personal mobile phone to complete study procedures

Exclusion criteria

  • Male
  • Age less than 18 or greater than 30
  • Does not meet self-report criteria for tanning addiction
  • Does not have access to the internet to complete study procedures
  • Does not have a personal mobile phone to complete study procedures

Treatment and study plan

Mobile text messaging intervention

Behavioral

Participants in the intervention arm will receive text messages to their mobile phones designed to communicate the risks of indoor tanning and motivate cessation. The intervention exposure lasts for 4 weeks with messages sent 2 days each week. It is an interactive intervention that engages participants by asking them to respond to prompts, and sending indoor tanning message content in return on message days.

Primary outcomes

  1. Motivation to Quit Indoor Tanning

    Time frame: 1 month follow up

    Motivation to quit is measured by participant report by a single question with a 1 to 7 response scale. Higher scores indicate greater motivation to quit and are considered better outcomes. This question is administered at 1 month follow up and at 3 month follow up.

  2. Indoor Tanning Cessation

    Time frame: 1 month follow up

    Indoor tanning cessation is measured by participant report by a single question asking if participants have stopped indoor tanning completely. Responses indicating cessation are considered better outcomes. This item is administered at 1-month follow-up and at 3 month follow up.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Attempts to Quit Indoor Tanning

    Time frame: 1 month follow up and 3 month follow up

    Attempts to quit indoor tanning are measured by participant report by a single question asking if participants have attempted to quit indoor tanning since the last assessment. Responses indicating any attempt(s) to quit are considered a better outcome. This item is administered at 1 month follow up and at 3 month follow up.

Other outcomes

  1. Risk Appraisals

    Time frame: 1 month follow up and 3 month follow up

    Perceived risk of harm are measured by asking participants how likely harms are to occur (1 = no chance, 7 = certain to happen). Worry about harms are measured by asking participants how worried they are about harms of indoor tanning (1 = not at all, 7 = very much). Greater risk appraisals are considered a better outcome. The items are administered at 1 month follow up and at 3 month follow up.

  2. Efficacy Beliefs

    Time frame: 1 month follow up and 3 month follow up

    Beliefs about the health benefits of quitting indoor tanning, efficacy beliefs, are measured using 6 questions asking about health benefits occurring from quitting indoor tanning (1 = No Chance, 7 = Certain to Happen). Greater efficacy beliefs are considered a better outcome. These items are administered at 1 month follow up and at 3 month follow up.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Georgetown University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Aug 13, 2019
Registry last updated
Aug 4, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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