Felicia Dionne Taylor, PhD, Department of Health Sciences, University of Central Arkansas, Doyne Health Sciences Center 321, Conway, AR 72035, 501.450-5513, FeliciaT@uca.edu

College populations are ideal populations in which to explore risky behaviors. Appearance behaviors usually involve casual decision-making prior to participation. Because college populations have similar health risk appraisals to adolescents, and a tendency to participate in activities that result in unintentional injury, the effectiveness of a short intervention to reduce risks associated with artificial fingernails was the goal of this research. Artificial fingernails and associated health risks are related to other appearance behaviors such as tattoos, body-piercings, tongue-splitting, suntanning and non-prescription contact lenses. All of these practices have potential to cause health problems, many of which the participant may not be unaware. The quest for artificial fingernails may represent a conflict of interest: increasing physical attractiveness versus maintaining good health. Students enrolled in three health education classes at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, were administered the Nail Behavior Questionnaire (Taylor, 2002), pretest and posttest. The NBQ was based upon constructs of the Health Belief Model (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived cost versus benefits), and the construct intent to comply, from the Theory of Reasoned Action. Differences between users and nonusers of artificial nails exposed to a twenty-minute oral intervention was a significant focus of the research.

The results indicated that this population was not at risk for health issues related to this activity, and the intervention was related to favorable changes in some study variables. The study demonstrates promise in the use of a low risk activity to promote decision-making skills for future higher risk activities.

Learning Objectives: Learning objectives

• To understand the value of the use of a low risk activity to promote higher risk activity prevention;
• To understand the phenomena of appearance related behaviors and their associated health risks;
• To learn about one group of university health education students and their attitudes and perceptions about a perceived low risk activity.

Keywords: College Students, Health Risks

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.