Do Storytelling and Processing Motivation Matter? Comparing Narratives and Exemplars in Promoting Hepatitis C Screening among College Students

ABSTRACT

Encouraging hepatitis C screening, particularly among young adults who are at increased risk of infection, is essential for eliminating viral hepatitis. A 3 (narrative vs. exemplar vs. informational message) × 2 (processing motivation: low vs. high) between-subjects experiment was conducted among college students to compare the effectiveness of different message strategies and examine the moderating role of processing motivation. Findings revealed that the narrative was perceived more favorably than the exemplar message, and both messages led to a greater screen intention than the informational message. The narrative persuaded by increasing transportation and identification and, then, enhancing message perceptions. However, these mediation paths did not explain the effects of the simple exemplar. Moreover, the effects of the narrative and the exemplar did not differ significantly depending on levels of processing motivation. The study advances a theoretical understanding of the differences between narratives and exemplars. It also offers practical suggestions for campaign message design.

Keywords:

• Narrative persuasion
• exemplar
• disease screening
• transportation
• identification

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Exemplar Message

Every year, Hepatitis C goes undetected for millions of Americans. Those who are infected but undetected are at high risk for chronic liver disease or other related chronic diseases, and cannot avoid becoming a potential source of transmission to others. Many people do not experience symptoms for more than 10 years after the initial infection, therefore not taking a Hepatitis C test delays treatment, and the condition can become life-threatening. For example, Jordan, who is a 21-year-college student, is one of the victims who got infected by the Hepatitis C virus after getting a tattoo. And his roommate Bryce also got Hepatitis C virus by sharing a razor with Jordan.

Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. Hepatitis C virus can be transmitted through any activities that allow infected blood to enter your body – such as intravenous drugs, blood transfusions, piercings, sexual activity, even sharing toothbrushes or razors.

Many infections are “community-acquired” and may have been caused by either risky behaviors or sometimes unnoticed or forgotten exposure from cuts or wounds. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 4 million Americans have been infected with the Hepatitis C virus and about 35,000 new cases are estimated to occur in the United States each year.

Studies indicate that 40% of chronic liver diseases are Hepatitis C-related, resulting in over 10,000 deaths per year. Deaths due to Hepatitis C are projected to increase over the next ten years to approximately 30,000 per year. Hepatitis C-associated end stage liver disease is the most frequent cause for liver transplantation among adults.

Unlike Hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine against Hepatitis C. Only through a blood test can Hepatitis C be detected early and effectively treated. For patients like Jordan and Bryce, to avoid becoming infected with the Hepatitis C virus, they should consider getting a blood test, too.

Narrative Message

Jordan was a 21-year-old college senior, getting good grades and excited about his active social life and career possibilities after graduation. One night, he and his friends decided to get tattoos at a local shop near their campus. Jordan thought nothing about the shabby conditions of the shop and didn’t notice if the tattoo artist sterilized the equipment. An hour later, Jordan walked out of the shop with a tattoo of his college mascot and Hepatitis C.

That was 10 years ago. Because most people who are infected with Hepatitis C have no symptoms until a decade or more from the time they were infected, Jordan had no idea he had the Hepatitis C virus. When he began to have flulike symptoms accompanied by tenderness in the area of his liver, his doctor conducted a blood test that confirmed the presence of Hepatitis C and severe liver damage. Further tests revealed several cancerous tumors in his liver. Today, Jordan is suffering from liver cancer – a disease with a very low survival rate – as a result of an infection he contracted in his 20s.

Jordan was infected with Hepatitis C through equipment that had not been sterilized, but any activity that allows infected blood to enter your body – such as intravenous drugs, blood transfusions, piercings, sexual activity, even sharing toothbrushes or razors – can lead to Hepatitis C. And Hepatitis C, if undetected, can lead to severe liver damage, including cancer, scarring of the liver tissue (cirrhosis), and liver failure.

Studies indicate that 40% of chronic liver diseases are Hepatitis C-related, resulting in over 10,000 deaths per year. Deaths due to Hepatitis C are projected to increase over the next ten years to approximately 30,000 per year. Hepatitis C-associated end stage liver disease is the most frequent cause for liver transplantation among adults. Unlike Hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine against Hepatitis C. Only through a blood test can Hepatitis C be detected early and effectively treated. To avoid becoming infected with the Hepatitis C virus, you should consider getting a blood test, too.

Notes

¹ Participants were informed that risk factors may include tattoos, sharing of pierced body jewelry and other personal items, unprotected sexual behaviors, use of injection drugs, and so on.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.