The impact of emotion‐based mass media campaigns on stigma toward cervical screening non participation

Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of mass media coverage of cancer on screening rates. In this online experiment, we assessed the influence of different types of mass media news articles (factual vs. emotive narratives) on cervical cancer screening intentions. We also tested the process through which mass media news articles influence screening intention. Participants (N = 141) were randomly allocated to receive either a news article containing factual information about screening, a news article containing an emotive narrative about a nonfamous woman who died after not being screened, or no information about screening. Participants, then, completed measures of stigma, fear, shame, and screening intention. Stigma toward people who had not been screened (i.e., public stigma) was greater when participants received an emotive narrative rather than factual information or no information. Moreover, we found a significant indirect effect of the manipulation on screening intention via public stigma. These results indicated that the emotive news article increased public stigma, which in turn predicted screening intention. Based on this, we argue that it is important to carefully consider the type of narrative that is included in mass media articles to ensure that it does not stigmatize people who have not been screened.

Impact of the Mass Media on Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Psychological Well-Being and Physical Activity. Structural Equation Analysis

“…In order to understand contemporary society, it is necessary to look at the influence of mass media on people, particularly in terms of aspects linked with the creation of values and behaviour patterns in younger populations [ 1 ]. Accordingly, authors such as Hong and Kim [ 2 ] and Wearn and Shepherd [ 3 ] found that audiovisual media have a persuasive effect on emotions, psychosocial aspects such as subjective wellbeing and social–behavioural patterns. Likewise, the educational context should take on great importance in the early stages of life in order to establish healthy physical habits and the responsible use of new technologies, as this has been shown to benefit individuals’ physical and mental health and quality of life [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

Impact of stigma and stigma-focused interventions on screening and treatment outcomes in cancer patients

“…The prevalence of high cancer stigma in the studies reviewed range from 26.1% amongst a sample of patients with different types of cancer in Iran Shiri et al [ 64 ] to 35.5% amongst lung cancer patients in the USA [ 37 ]. The included articles showed that the stigma attached to cancer and cancer patients is expressed and experienced from different segments of the society, such as the general public [ 6 , 54 , 56 , 58 , 62 , 63 , 72 ], elites [ 50 ], media and advertising agencies [ 18 , 27 , 55 , 80 ], healthcare providers [ 28 , 34 ]), policy makers [ 49 ] and friends and family members [ 63 , 101].…”

“…Only two cancer-related stigma intervention studies were found. The first was an online intervention in the UK conducted to increase cervical cancer screening intention and by extension screening uptake [ 80 ]. The authors used public stigma toward people who had not been screened for cervical cancer as a tool to craft emotive narrative within news articles for respondents to read before responding to items on the study instruments.…”

“…The authors used public stigma toward people who had not been screened for cervical cancer as a tool to craft emotive narrative within news articles for respondents to read before responding to items on the study instruments. It was found that the emotive narrative within news articles was more effective in enhancing the willingness of women to attend a cervical screening appointment compared to factual information or no information [ 80 ]. The authors opined that emotive narratives within news articles can promote screening through increases public stigma.…”

Effective Communication for Water Resilient Communities: A Conceptual Framework

“…Water utilities should consider becoming storytellers about the investment, engineering, and science behind sustainable water supplies [76]. This kind of communication effectively pushes the audience to respond to the advertisement, and ultimately elicits an emotional response [86], mainly as a result of either factual or emotive narratives [87].…”