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Purpose: As a majority of skin cancer cases are behaviourally preventable, it is crucial to develop effective strategies to reduce UV exposure. Health-focused interventions have not proved to be sufficiently effective, and it has been suggested that people might be more susceptible to information about the negative effects of the sun on their appearance., Method: This systematic review of 30 separate papers, reporting 33 individual studies published between 2005 and 2017, assesses the overall effectiveness of appearance interventions on participants' UV exposure and sun protection behaviour., Results: Appearance-based interventions have positive effects on sun exposure and sun protection, immediately after the intervention as well as up to 12 months afterwards. The meta-analysis found a medium effect size on sun protection intentions for interventions which combined UV photography and photoageing information: r +  = .424; k = 3, N = 319, CI = 0.279-0.568, p = .023., Conclusions: This review provides a current perspective on the effectiveness of appearance-based interventions to reduce UV exposure, and also highlights methodological issues. It recommends that practitioners administer a UV photo intervention in combination with photoageing information to reduce UV exposure. Furthermore, the review specifically recommends that future research focuses on the use of theoretical constructs to enhance photoageing information and is conducted with older participants and in countries where people have less opportunity for sun exposure. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Appearance-focused interventions may in some cases be more effective than health-focused interventions in reducing UV exposure, as the underlying motivations for tanning are associated with appearance concerns. Previous reviews and meta-analyses have indicated that appearance-focused interventions such as photoageing and UV photo are associated with positive effects in reducing UV exposure and/or increasing sun protection. Previous reviews identified methodological issues with research on this topic, which included limited a priori power calculations and a general lack of long-term follow-ups. What does this study add? This review concludes that photoageing information in combination with UV photo is associated with a medium positive effect size on sun protection intentions. Photoageing can be manipulated according to theoretical constructs (e.g., Theory of Alternative Behaviours), which may contribute to its effectiveness. Issues such as homogeneity of settings and participants and limited a priori power calculations in the included studies have been identified. This review specifically recommends that future research is conducted in locations with less overall sun exposure, and with a more diverse participant range (e.g., more males and older participants)., (© 2018 The British Psychological Society.)

Objectives: A systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to identify and review research examining the impact of appearance-based interventions on sun protection intentions and/or ultraviolet (UV) exposure behaviour., Methods: A search of 16 databases including PsycARTICLES, Cochrane Library and Web of Knowledge was conducted to identify studies examining the impact of appearance-based interventions on reducing UV exposure and/or increasing sun protection intentions and behaviours. A total of 21 articles met the inclusion criteria, and these studies were subjected to a systematic review and meta-analyses to determine the effectiveness of the interventions., Results: Interventions used a variety of techniques including UV technology and photoaging information. Study design and outcome measures varied. The research indicated that appearance-based interventions have a positive effect on UV exposure and sun protection intentions and behaviour., Conclusions: Findings suggest that interventions based on the appearance-damaging effects of UV exposure, and the positive effects of sun protection, may have a role in health promotion. It is concluded that there is a need for further research incorporating a wider range of participants, and using qualitative and mixed methods designs., Statement of Contribution: What is already known on the subject? Recreational exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, are the primary causes of all melanomas, leading to skin cancer. A previous systematic review (Dodd & Forshaw, ) looking at the efficacy of appearance-focussed interventions in skin cancer prevention, suggested that there were significant effects for UV protection behaviour after such interventions. What does this study add? An up-to-date systematic review of studies that has carried out appearance-based interventions to reduce UV exposure and/or increase sun protection intentions and behaviours. A meta-analysis of data providing statistical evidence indicating that appearance-based interventions have a positive effect on UV exposure and sun protection intentions and behaviour., (© 2012 The British Psychological Society.)

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate women's experiences of engaging in an age-appearance anti-smoking intervention., Methods: Ten 18- to 34-year-old women gave accounts of their experiences after engaging in an age-appearance facial morphing anti-smoking intervention in interviews (n= 7) and a focus group (n= 3), and 37 women gave their accounts while they were engaged in the intervention. Transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis broadly informed by the procedures of Grounded Theory., Results: Women were very concerned about the impact of ageing on their faces in general, and in particular the additional impact of smoking on their skin. Women were concerned about other people's reactions to them as older smokers with wrinkled skin, and many experienced a physical shock reaction (including reports of nausea) to seeing how they would age if they continued to smoke. They reported that seeing their own face aged on the computer screen increased their perceived risk of skin wrinkling. Women reported being highly motivated to quit smoking as a result of the intervention, and many reported that they would take active steps to quit having seen how they would look if they continued to smoke. This was linked with increased perceived personal responsibility for quitting., Conclusions: Results are discussed in relation to suggestions for anti-smoking interventions aimed at women in the 18- to 34-year-old age group. It is concluded that interventions incorporating age-appearance morphing techniques are likely to be effective in helping women to take active steps to quit smoking., (©2010 The British Psychological Society.)

Objective: Analysis of health service statistics reveals that men tend to under-use primary health care services. Previous research has suggested that men view illness as a form of weakness and have negative views about men who seek medical help. It has also indicated that some men believe that male General Practitioner (GP)s hold similar views, a factor which may influence their own tendency to self-refer. This study aims to explore male GPs' experiences of their male patients' patterns of self-referral and to identify factors that may negatively influence doctor-patient relationships., Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 male GPs (ages=35-53). These were audiotaped and subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify relevant themes., Results: For all participants, managing service demands were seen as a major challenge. Analysis of these GP's accounts suggested that they see men's self-referral as being primarily influenced by the need to conform to masculine gender roles and a number of ways that men accessed services in a way congruent with this were identified. This study also explored how participants' own adherence to gender roles may itself influence the doctor-patient relationship., Conclusion: This study suggests that, like other men, male GPs may have ambivalent attitudes towards male self-referral and that this may influence their interactions with male patients.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate how young men and women smokers and non-smokers talk about the impact of smoking on appearance, with the aim of using these accounts to inform anti-smoking campaigns targeted at young people., Design: Volunteer smokers and non-smokers took part in 24 focus groups., Method: Eighty-seven men and women aged 17-24 were asked to talk about impacts of smoking on appearance., Results: A thematic analysis of transcripts suggested that weight gain after quitting was only a significant concern for the younger (17-year-old) women. Non-smokers of both genders expressed concern about yellowing of skin and teeth if they started smoking, and women non-smokers were concerned about skin ageing. Smokers believed that smoking made them look 'cool', mature, and sophisticated and would quit only if skin ageing and other negative effects on appearance became visible., Conclusions: Appearance concerns are relevant to the decision whether to start and quit smoking, and are linked to gender and age. Results are discussed in relation to implications for the development of age- and gender-relevant anti-smoking interventions.

Objective: Analysis of health statistics reveals that, although men have a shorter life expectancy and a higher mortality rate than women, they have less contact with their GP. This study investigates men's experiences of prostate disease, with a particular focus on how they made the decision to seek medical help., Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 men aged 51-75 with prostate disease who had recently contacted their GP. These were audiotaped, transcribed and subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis., Results: Analysis revealed that their referral behaviours were profoundly influenced by a need to live up to traditional images of masculinity. Far from being uncaring, men were extremely anxious about their health and fears about the effects of illness and treatment emerged as major influences on their decision to seek help. Their delay in approaching their GP was due to their beliefs about symptoms as markers of serious disease, their ability to hide symptoms from others and their attitude towards male GPs who were often seen as having negative attitudes towards male patients., Conclusions: This study identifies some reasons why men with prostate disease may fail to seek medical care and has implications for increasing referral rates for men.