Wen Zhang1, Qi Wang2. 1. School of Journalism and Culture Communication, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 182 Nanhu Avenue, Wuhan 430073, PR China. Electronic address: Z0004810@zuel.edu.cn. 2. Shool of Industrial Design, Hubei University of Technology, 28 Nanli Road, Wuhan 430068, PR China; Wuhan Railway Vocational College of Technology, 1 Canglong Road, Wuhan 430000, PR China. Electronic address: 24250@whut.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: News coverage supportive of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is widespread on the Internet. Meanwhile, large numbers of online comments questioning HPV vaccine safety, attacking vaccine manufacturers or providing personal experience of side effects may reduce the persuasion effect. This study explored how and under what conditions such comments influence the behavioral intention of subsequent youth female viewers or readers. METHODS: We recruited a random sample of 239 Chinese undergraduate female students from different, non-medicine-related disciplines and conducted a 2 (valence of online comments: positive vs. negative) × 2 (presentation of comments: narrative vs. descriptive) between-subjects factorial design study. After carrying two ANOVAs to examine the effects of experimental conditions, we established a simple mediation and a moderated mediation analysis to test hypothesis. RESULTS: Perceived risk of HPV emerged as a significant mediator in the moderated mediation model. Particularly under the negative condition, the narrative (vs. descriptive) comments increased behavioral intention to receive the vaccine (B = -0.20, SE = 0.10, 95% CI = -0.40 to -0.01) while they increased participants' perceived risk of HPV (B = -0.14, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = -0.27 to -0.06). However, under the positive condition, there was no significant difference in either risk perception or behavioral intention between the effects of narrative and descriptive comments on participants. CONCLUSIONS: Online comments do influence participants' perceived risk of HPV and vaccination intention. Perceived risk of HPV fully mediates the effect of comments on vaccination intention. More importantly, the indirect effect of narrative (vs. descriptive) comments on behavioral intention through risk perception is moderated by the valence of comments, and significant only under the negative comments condition.
BACKGROUND: News coverage supportive of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is widespread on the Internet. Meanwhile, large numbers of online comments questioning HPV vaccine safety, attacking vaccine manufacturers or providing personal experience of side effects may reduce the persuasion effect. This study explored how and under what conditions such comments influence the behavioral intention of subsequent youth female viewers or readers. METHODS: We recruited a random sample of 239 Chinese undergraduate female students from different, non-medicine-related disciplines and conducted a 2 (valence of online comments: positive vs. negative) × 2 (presentation of comments: narrative vs. descriptive) between-subjects factorial design study. After carrying two ANOVAs to examine the effects of experimental conditions, we established a simple mediation and a moderated mediation analysis to test hypothesis. RESULTS: Perceived risk of HPV emerged as a significant mediator in the moderated mediation model. Particularly under the negative condition, the narrative (vs. descriptive) comments increased behavioral intention to receive the vaccine (B = -0.20, SE = 0.10, 95% CI = -0.40 to -0.01) while they increased participants' perceived risk of HPV (B = -0.14, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = -0.27 to -0.06). However, under the positive condition, there was no significant difference in either risk perception or behavioral intention between the effects of narrative and descriptive comments on participants. CONCLUSIONS: Online comments do influence participants' perceived risk of HPV and vaccination intention. Perceived risk of HPV fully mediates the effect of comments on vaccination intention. More importantly, the indirect effect of narrative (vs. descriptive) comments on behavioral intention through risk perception is moderated by the valence of comments, and significant only under the negative comments condition.