RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Air quality issues, exacerbated by wildfire smoke and excessive ozone that is worsened by climate change, pose significant health risks to outdoor workers, who are often overlooked in regulatory protection and communication efforts. This study examined how outdoor worker demographics, risk perceptions, and efficacy beliefs predict air quality protective actions and information seeking. Additionally, it investigates the sources of information that this population relies on for understanding air quality. METHOD: A survey was conducted with 256 outdoor workers in Colorado, a state regularly affected by wildfire smoke and ozone. Measures included demographics, perceived risk, efficacy beliefs, air quality actions, and information seeking behavior. RESULTS: Both perceived risk and efficacy beliefs influenced health-protective actions during poor air quality events. Interestingly, efficacy beliefs were found to be a more reliable predictor of air quality information seeking than perceived risk. The top sources of air quality information among outdoor workers were local news media, The Weather Channel, mobile apps, state public health authorities, and the National Weather Service. CONCLUSIONS: These findings enhance our understanding of how perceived risk and efficacy beliefs promote health-protective behaviors among outdoor workers. They lay the groundwork for future research and initiatives to improve air quality communication and promote health-protective actions for this population group. Promoting the efficacy of health-protective actions and seeking information are important components of air quality communication.
RESUMEN
With growing scrutiny over how the food industry advertises products aimed toward children and fewer consumers using nutrition facts panels and ingredient lists, the fronts of food packages have become an increasingly important marketing tool to understand. Front-of-package (FOP) visual and verbal claims play a critical role in capturing consumers' attention and helping them choose foods that fit their goals. Due to only possessing emergent literacy skills, preschool children are attuned to FOP visuals while parents are able to use the visuals in combination with verbal claims to make food choices for their children. The purpose of this focus group study was to explore how parents of preschool children make sense of FOP visual and verbal claims on packaged food products that are intended for their children. Thematic analysis revealed that parents associated aspects that most appeal to their preschool children - the characters and other playful visuals - with higher sugar content and artificial ingredients. However, parents were also easily led to believe the product was healthier based on visuals of fruit, more realistic pictures, health claims, cross-branding with healthier foods, and visuals suggesting the product is more natural. While parents recognized that the health claims and some visuals may not truly mean the food is healthier, they agreed that they rarely think beyond their initial impression. The food industry needs better regulatory guidance on how to communicate flavors and ingredients on package fronts in a way that helps consumers - particularly parents wanting to encourage healthy eating habits for their young children - better match their nutrition goals.
