Narrative Messages and the Use of Emotional Appeals on Endometriosis Screening Intention: The Mediating Role of Positive Affect

Abstract

Endometriosis affects around 10% of women globally, yet the awareness and screening rates for this condition are relatively low. Utilizing an online survey-based experiment with a sample of 18–30-year-old young women (N = 326), this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of narrative messages vs. non-narrative messages for promoting endometriosis screening intention, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of hope appeal vs. fear appeal in narrative messages. The study also examined the potential mediating mechanisms through self-efficacy and positive affect responses that may help elucidate the effect of emotional appeals on behavioral intentions, while taking into account an individual’s readiness to change. Findings indicated that narrative and non-narrative messages did not produce significantly different screening intentions. Compared to the use of fear appeal, the hope appeal in narrative messages predicted a higher level of positive affect responses, which was associated with increased endometriosis screening intentions. Individual difference in readiness to engage in endometriosis screening was not found to be a significant moderator. These results have implications for future research utilizing hope appeals in narrative health messaging. The observed significant mediational pathway through positive affect advances understanding of positive discrete emotions as facilitators to health-related cognition and behavior changes.

Perceived challenges in treatment decision-making for endometriosis: healthcare professional perspectives

“…The final theme identified in these data was Patient Decision-Making Blinded by Hope , and this is a subject that has been under-researched in endometriosis. Positive emotions such as hope have been found to favourably affect people's intention to change their health behaviour (Nabi & Myrick, 2019 ), including in endometriosis screening (Worsdale & Liu, 2023 ). Research reports that optimal levels of hope, defined as the belief that personal goals can be achieved (Snyder et al, 1991 ), are associated with improved outcomes when people are sick (Musschenga, 2019 ), and help them adapt to chronic illness (de Andrade Alvarenga et al, 2021 ; Yücens et al, 2019 ).…”