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LA
Benz Scott, D Levine, B Curbow, MN Hill, J Allen,The Johns Hopkins
University
* Accepted,
not presented.
Awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as a serious health threat
and knowledge of how to prevent it are low among young U.S. women
(aged 18 - 24 years). Few studies have investigated to what extent
women with CVD risk factors differ in how they process prevention
information and the role of message framing strategies in educational
and behavioral outcomes. Methods: This study employed a 2 (gain vs.
loss) x 2 (present vs. future) pre-test/post-test factorial design
to assess the main and interactive effects of risk factors (personal
and family history) and message framing variables on changes in knowledge,
attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions after exposing 395 young
women at random to one of four prevention messages. Results: Participants
had low knowledge about how to prevent CVD and were unsure of the
personal relevance of CVD information at pre-test. Message frames
and risk factors significantly interacted such that women with at
least one personal risk factor had the greatest increase in self-efficacy
if they were exposed to a gain-framed message. By contrast, loss-framed
messages among women with a family history of high blood pressure
or cholesterol had greater increases in behavioral intentions compared
to women with a similar history exposed to a gain-framed message.
An opposite trend was found among women with no parental history;
those exposed to a gain-framed message showed a greater increase in
intent compared to those exposed to a loss-framed message. Conclusion:
Results imply that message designers should evaluate the potential
role of risk factor history and message frames to identify the optimal
conditions to achieve desired behavioral outcomes among those at elevated
risk. |
