Narrative or Facts: Two Paths to Vaccine Advocacy

J Health Commun. 2024 Oct 2;29(10):644-653. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2024.2408289. Epub 2024 Sep 25.

Abstract

The current study investigated the effectiveness of factual and narrative messages in promoting advocacy intentions among viewers of COVID-19 vaccination messaging. In an online posttest only experiment on Qualtrics online software, participants (N = 323) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions related to type of messaging (i.e. factual, narrative, both, control). The final model revealed that both types of messages work in generating advocacy but through two distinct influential pathways. Moreover, a message containing both facts and a narrative proved to be more effective than a message containing only a narrative or only facts.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control
  • COVID-19 Vaccines*
  • Female
  • Health Communication* / methods
  • Humans
  • Intention
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Narration*
  • Patient Advocacy
  • Vaccination / psychology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines