The Effects of Numerical Evidence and Message Framing in Communicating Vaccine Efficacy

Linqi Lu; Jiawei Liu; Sang Jung Kim; Ran Tao; Douglas M McLeod; Dhavan V Shah

doi:10.1080/10810730.2024.2409819

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The Effects of Numerical Evidence and Message Framing in Communicating Vaccine Efficacy

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The Effects of Numerical Evidence and Message Framing in Communicating Vaccine Efficacy

Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, Sang Jung Kim, Ran Tao, Douglas M McLeod and Dhavan V Shah

Journal of health communication, Vol.29(10), pp.654-662

10/02/2024

DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2024.2409819

PMID: 39375872

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Abstract

To examine the effects of numerical evidence and message framing in communicating vaccine efficacy information about infectious diseases, an online experiment presented to U.S. adults different versions of a vaccination promotional message that vary by numerical vaccine efficacy evidence: (low efficacy rate: 60% vs. high efficacy rate: 95%), outcome framing (preventing disease-related infection vs. preventing disease-related severe illness), and gain vs. loss framing, using a factorial between-subjects design. While there was no significant interaction between numerical vaccine efficacy evidence and message framing, findings showed that a higher vaccine efficacy rate increased positive beliefs about vaccination and outcome framing emphasizing infection prevention increased message processing fluency. Given that infectious diseases pose higher risks for severe illness among older adults, follow-up analyses by age showed that only younger adults were sensitive to message framing where outcome framing emphasizing infection prevention increased processing fluency.

gain-loss framing

numerical evidence

infectious disease

message processing

Vaccine efficacy

Details

Title: Subtitle: The Effects of Numerical Evidence and Message Framing in Communicating Vaccine Efficacy
Creators: Linqi Lu - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Jiawei Liu - University of Florida
Sang Jung Kim - University of Iowa
Ran Tao - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Douglas M McLeod - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Dhavan V Shah - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of health communication, Vol.29(10), pp.654-662
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2024.2409819
PMID: 39375872
ISSN: 1081-0730
eISSN: 1087-0415
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 10/07/2024
Date published: 10/02/2024
Academic Unit: Center for Social Science Innovation; School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Record Identifier: 9984722575102771

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