Narrative communication in cancer prevention and control: A framework to guide research and application

Abstract

Narrative forms of communication-including entertainment education, journalism, literature, testimonials, and storytelling-are emerging as important tools for cancer prevention and control. To stimulate critical thinking about the role of narrative in cancer communication and promote a more focused and systematic program of research to understand its effects, we propose a typology of narrative application in cancer control. We assert that narrative has four distinctive capabilities: overcoming resistance, facilitating information processing, providing surrogate social connections, and addressing emotional and existential issues. We further assert that different capabilities are applicable to different outcomes across the cancer control continuum (e.g., prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship). This article describes the empirical evidence and theoretical rationale supporting propositions in the typology, identifies variables likely to moderate narrative effects, raises ethical

Cancer Control and the Communication Innovation in South Korea: Implications for Cancer Disparities

“…For example, the low SES groups usually have difficulty with the comprehension of statistical information. Thus, narrative-style provision of cancer information can contribute in lowering communication inequality (Kreuter et al, 2007). Provided that free supply of cancer screening opportunities for the low SES groups refers to intervention based on social inequality, the intervention based on communication inequality can pertain to such activity for reducing gaps among SES groups in understanding and exposure of cancer-related information, technology, and treatment (Viswanath, 2005;Kontos and Viswanath, 2011).…”

Predictive and External Validity of a Pre-Market Study to Determine the Most Effective Pictorial Health Warning Label Content for Cigarette Packages

“…15 Testimonial content may be more effective than didactic content because it is enhances emotional arousal. 15,16 HWLs that employed symbolic representations were perceived as less effective than other pictorial themes, perhaps because abstract depictions are less well understood or because they elicit weaker emotional responses. Furthermore, certain health effects may be more amenable to depiction through particular themes (eg, symbolic images illustrating addiction or quitting; graphic and lived experience images illustrating cancer and disease), as with antismoking advertisements.…”

Prescriptive scientific narratives for communicating usable science

“…The Role of Narrative Humans appear to be predisposed to process information most efficiently when it is presented in narrative format (4)(5)(6), especially when that information has social relevance (2,7). Compared with more expository forms of communication, such as procedural explanations or descriptive lists, communicating through stories drives our narrative appetite (8), providing motivation to continue the story until resolution is reached (9).…”

“…1, box 2), and describes action, unfolding over time, to resolve that conflict (Fig. 1, box 3) (5,7,9). Within this general structure, narratives may take many different forms, such as fact or fiction, case studies, or dramatic conversations and first-person or third-person perspectives.…”

“…Within this general structure, narratives may take many different forms, such as fact or fiction, case studies, or dramatic conversations and first-person or third-person perspectives. The relative benefits of these different forms have been examined to some degree (3,4,11), especially as they pertain to a narrative's persuasive power (5,(12)(13)(14), but this paper primarily focuses on the use of narrative to explain science so that a target audience can use concepts to make better decisions in their own lives.…”