Objective: To examine the inclusion of health behavior theory in distracted driving PSAs on YouTube.com.
Methods: Two-hundred fifty PSAs were assessed using constructs from 4 prominent health behavior theories. A total theory score was calculated for each video. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with higher theory scores.
Results: PSAs were generally lacking in theoretical content. Video length, use of rates/statistics, driving scenario depiction, and presence of a celebrity were positively associated with theory inclusion.
Conclusion: Collaboration between health experts and PSA creators could be fostered to produce more theory-based distracted driving videos on YouTube.com.