Determinants of First-Time Cancer Examinations in a Rural Community: A Mechanism for Behavior Change.

Objectives: After conducting a media campaign focusing on the importance of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) examinations, we assessed mechanisms of behavior change among individuals receiving an OPC examination for the first time.

Methods: We used data from 2 waves of telephone surveys of individuals residing in 36 rural census tracts in northern Florida (n = 806). The second survey occurred after our media intervention. We developed media messages and modes of message delivery with community members via focus groups and intercept interviews. We performed a mediation analysis to examine behavior change mechanisms.

Results: Greater exposure to media messages corresponded with heightened concern about OPC. Heightened concern, in turn, predicted receipt of a first-time OPC examination, but only among men.

Conclusions: We extended earlier studies by measuring an outcome behavior (receipt of an OPC examination) and demonstrating that the putative mechanism of action (concern about the disease) explained the link between a media intervention and engaging in the target behavior. Improving the quality of media campaigns by engaging community stakeholders in selecting messages and delivery methods is an effective strategy in building public health interventions aimed at changing behaviors.