A Framework for Pilot Testing Health Risk Video Narratives

ABSTRACT

Narrative messages may be superior to didactic messages when providing educational information due to their natural format for information sharing, ability to engage audiences, and engender positive thoughts about the message. Although narrative messages are gaining popularity in health promotion, little guidance exists regarding the development phase. Our team created a psychosocial narrative video intervention grounded in the Health Belief Model to increase breast cancer survivors’ attendance at genetic counseling after treatment. Here we report the use of Learner Verification (LV) during an iterative video development process. Using LV, we conducted individual semi-structured interviews with patients and providers, after they viewed the video. Demographic information was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and verbatim interview transcripts were used to conduct a two-phase qualitative content analysis. Patient and provider participants (n = 30) believed the video was attractive, relatable, and informative, and they identified areas for improvement including narrative coherence, changes to text and graphical information, and including more specific information. LV framework elicited audience feedback on the video intervention relevant to theoretical principles of narrative interventions, and highlighted audience preferences. In this study, LV interviews tapped into theoretical constructs of narratives and facilitated the iterative intervention design process.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge our production company partners Christian Ledford and Rebecca Rhodes of Ledford & Rhodes.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Grant number 1 R21 HG006415. CLS and MLK were supported by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH under grant number (R25- CA090314) and the Center for Research in Infection and Cancer of the NIH under grant number (K05-CA181320).