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Using online crowdsourcing to understand young adult attitudes toward expert-authored messages aimed at reducing hazardous alcohol consumption and to collect peer-authored messages

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Text message delivered prevention interventions have the potential to improve health behaviors on a large scale, including reducing hazardous alcohol consumption in young adults. Online crowdsourcing can be used to efficiently develop relevant messages, but remains largely understudied. This study aims to use online crowdsourcing to evaluate young adult attitudes toward expert-authored messages and to collect peer-authored messages. We designed an online survey with four drinking scenarios and a demographic questionnaire. We made it available to people who reported age 18–25 years, residence in the US, and any lifetime alcohol consumption via the Amazon Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Participants rated 71 sample text messages on instrumental (helpful) and affective (interesting) attitude scales and generated their own messages. All messages were coded as informational, motivational, or strategy facilitating. We examined differences in attitudes by message type and by drinking status and sex. We surveyed 272 participants in 48 h, and 222 were included in analysis for a total participant payment cost of $178. Sample mean age was 23 years old, with 50 % being female, 65 % being of white race, and 78 % scored as hazardous drinkers. Informational messages were rated the most helpful, whereas motivational messages were rated the most interesting. Hazardous drinkers rated informational messages less helpful than non-hazardous drinkers. Men reported messages less helpful and interesting than women for most categories. Young adults authored 161 messages, with the highest proportion being motivational. Young adults had variable instrumental and affective attitudes toward expert-authored messages. They generated a substantial number of peer-authored messages that could enhance relevance of future alcohol prevention interventions.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This was an investigator-initiated study funded by a grant from the National Institute of Health (NIAAA: K23AA023284). The funders played no role in the design, conduct, or analysis of the study, nor in the interpretation and reporting of the study findings. The researchers were independent from the funders. All authors had full access to all of the data (including statistical reports and tables) in the study and can take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Authors’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Brian Suffoletto and Jeffrey Kristan declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Iroquois Building, Suite 400A, 3600 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA

    Jeffrey Kristan B.S. & Brian Suffoletto M.D.

Authors
  1. Jeffrey Kristan B.S.
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  2. Brian Suffoletto M.D.
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Correspondence to Brian Suffoletto M.D..

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Implications

Practice: Medical and behavioral practitioners should be aware of the differences in instrumental and affective attitudes among young adults toward alcohol prevention messages.

Policy: Resources should be devoted to implementing evidence-based and user-centered mobile interventions.

Research: Online crowdsourcing can be a useful methodology for collecting young adult feedback on behavioral intervention materials and generating peer-authored messages.

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Kristan, J., Suffoletto, B. Using online crowdsourcing to understand young adult attitudes toward expert-authored messages aimed at reducing hazardous alcohol consumption and to collect peer-authored messages. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 5, 45–52 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0298-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0298-4

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