Wednesday, February 18, 2026 2/18/2026

Communicating Cancer Risk of Alcohol: Impact of Narrative Pictorial Warning Labels

Award Number: R03CA273391
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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Communicating Cancer Risk of Alcohol: Impact of Narrative Pictorial Warning Labels - Project Summary Alcohol consumption is a major modifiable risk factor for cancer, along with tobacco use and excess body weight. However, knowledge about the link between alcohol and cancer risk is poor in the United States. Research on tobacco labels has shown that placing pictorial warning labels (PWLs) improves consumer awareness of risks and decreases consumption. These results suggest that a similar approach to using PWLs on alcohol-containing products would raise awareness of risks and decrease alcohol consumption. Yet, one standing issue is that the typical graphic or shocking images used in such warnings can cause avoidance and reactance, which can lower message effectiveness and public support for pictorial warnings. A potential solution is to design PWLs that feature narrative content focused on people, such as cancer patients in medical settings, to capture attention and counteract reactance. The proposed project aims to develop and evaluate the impact of narrative PWLs on visual attention, message reactance, risk perceptions, and intentions to reduce and stop drinking. To accomplish these aims, the proposed project will include two phases: (1) Developing alcohol PWLs in narrative and conventional, non-narrative formats using existing research and focus group methods; and (2) Experimentally testing the effect of narrative versus non-narrative PWLs among adult alcohol users using objective measures of attention (eye tracking) and self-report measures of reactance, risk perceptions, and intentions. The approach is innovative because we will explicitly test the impact of visual narrative warnings on attention and message reactance, and provide an objective and direct measurement of attention by using eye tracking. With these approaches, this study will lay the groundwork for understanding the mechanisms by which visual narrative warnings communicate health risks and promote behavioral change. Findings of this early-stage project will also provide the foundation for a controlled trial of effective warning labels designed to increase public awareness of risks and decrease the overall alcohol consumption in the United States.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$278 )
2026	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT	438 WHITNEY RD EXTENSION UNIT 1133	STORRS	CT	06269	CAPITOL	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	2	1/16/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	-$278
														Subtotal = -$278

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT	438 WHITNEY RD EXTENSION UNIT 1133	STORRS	CT	06269	CAPITOL	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	001	2	8/19/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$46,794
2024	2022	OAKLAND UNIVERSITY	2200 N SQUIRREL RD	ROCHESTER	MI	48309	OAKLAND	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	1	8/19/2024	NEW	-$46,794
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $84,969 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT	438 WHITNEY RD EXTENSION UNIT 1133	STORRS	CT	06269	CAPITOL	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	001	2	8/3/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$84,969
2023	2022	OAKLAND UNIVERSITY	2200 N SQUIRREL RD	ROCHESTER	MI	48309	OAKLAND	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	1	8/2/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $84,969

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $75,000 )
2022	2022	OAKLAND UNIVERSITY	2200 N SQUIRREL RD	ROCHESTER	MI	48309	OAKLAND	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	1	8/24/2022	NEW	$75,000
														Subtotal = $75,000

Grand Total All Awards = $159,691

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Communicating Cancer Risk of Alcohol: Impact of Narrative Pictorial Warning Labels

Award Number: R03CA273391

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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