Objective: This study explored whether the efficacy of food safety education interventions can be increased by message framing among medical university students, and demonstrated the role of personal involvement within the message recipient in moderating framed effects. Methods: A cross-sectional study of food safety message framing was conducted among medical university students (randomly selected 1353 participants). An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information. Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Ordered multivariate logistic regression were utilised in the data analyses. Results: The present study showed significant differences in acceptance between the gain- and loss-framed groups (p < 0.001). Participants with higher personal involvement had higher acceptance than those with low personal involvement in gain- and loss-framed message models (p < 0.001). The acceptance of participants who were concerned about their health condition was higher than those who were neutral regarding their health condition (p < 0.001) and participants who suffered a food safety incident had higher acceptance than those who did not (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study portrayed the selection preference of message framing on food safety education among medical university students in southwest China. Participants exposed to loss-framed messages had higher message acceptance than those exposed to gain-framed messages. Personal involvement may affect the food safety message framing. Public health advocates and professionals can use framed messages as a strategy to enhance intervention efficacy in the process of food safety education.

A range of intervention models are available for childhood obesity prevention; however, few studies have examined the effectiveness of intervention messages. This study developed childhood simple obesity prevention messages on the basis of goal-framing and temporal-framing effects to improve message acceptance among the caregivers of preschool children and explored associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 592 caregivers of preschool children in urban kindergartens in China during March to April 2019. The framing messages were developed based on prospect theory and construal level theory. The majority (48.4%) of caregivers found the gain-framed, present-oriented message most salient for acceptance. We found that gender, education background, theme, and the use of negative words have impacts on goal-framing effects; and previous participation in a health related intervention, career category, and the theme have impacts on temporal-framing effects (p < 0.001). Goal-framing effects and temporal-framing effects can influence each other (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that the gain-framed, present-oriented message could be considered a strategy to improve the acceptance of information by caregivers. When framing a message, subtle differences like using negative words might affect the exertion of framing effects.

Background: Smoking is among the most preventable causes of death globally. Tobacco cessation can lessen the number of potential deaths. The China Tobacco Cessation Guidelines encourage medical staff to perform the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) when delivering tobacco dependence treatments to patients. Nursing students will develop to be nurses in the future and they have to finish 9 months of clinical practicum study in the last year at hospitals or care centers. However, the frequency of behaviors used to help smokers quit among Chinese nursing internship students is unclear. This study analyzed the rate of nurse interns’ performance of the 5As and which demographic characteristics, perceptions of smoking and knowledge predicted higher performance of the 5As. Methods: The cluster sampling method was used to select 13 teaching hospitals among 29. All nursing intern students were expected to finish the questionnaire about their 5As behaviors to help patients quit smoking. Their 5As performances were scored from one to five with 5 being the best and scores were summed. A multivariate linear mixed-effect model was employed to test the differences between their 5As. Results: Participating in the survey were 1358 interns (62.4% response rate). The average scores were as follows—Ask—3.15, Advise—2.75, Assess—2.67, Assist—2.58 and Arrange—2.42. A total of 56.3% students perceived that medical staff should perform the 5As routinely to help patients quit smoking. On the other hand, 52.1% viewed clinical preceptors as role models of the 5As. School education regarding tobacco control, smoking dependence treatment, self-efficacy and positive intentions were predictors of higher performance of the 5As (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Nursing internship students seldom administered tobacco dependence treatments to patients. It is essential to improve the corresponding education, skills and self-efficacy of the 5As. Meanwhile, clinical preceptors should procure more training in the responsibilities and skills related to tobacco cessation. In this way, clinical preceptors can be role models of the 5As and impart positive influences on interns.