title: Comparing the Relative Efficacy of Narrative vs Nonnarrative Health Messages in Reducing Health Disparities Using a Randomized Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the relative efficacy of a fictional narrative film to a more traditional nonnarrative film in conveying the same health information.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a random digit dial procedure to survey the cervical cancer-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of non-Hispanic White, Mexican American, and African American women, aged 25 to 45 years, living in Los Angeles, California, from 2011 to 2012. Participants (n = 704) were randomly assigned to view either a narrative or nonnarrative film containing the same information about how cervical cancer could be prevented or detected, and they were re-contacted 2 weeks and 6 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 2 weeks, both films produced a significant increase in cervical cancer-related knowledge and attitudes, but these effects were significantly higher for the narrative film. At 6 months, viewers of both films retained greater than baseline knowledge and more positive attitudes toward Papanicolaou (Pap) tests, but women who saw the narrative were significantly more likely to have had or scheduled a Pap test. The narrative was particularly effective for Mexican American women, eliminating cervical cancer screening disparities found at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Narratives might prove to be a useful tool for reducing health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Sheila T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Joyee S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Meghan B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amezola de Herrera
authors.affiliation: Sheila T. Murphy, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Nan Zhao, and Paula Amezola de Herrera are with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Lauren B. Frank is with the Department of Communication, Portland State University, Portland, OR. Meghan B. Moran is with the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati is with the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Lourdes A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Baezconde-Garbanati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008875:Middle Aged; D009040:Motion Pictures; D033262:Narration; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*