April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: “This is what a speculum looks like”: Using TikTok as an Innovative Health Communication Tool for Overcoming Barriers to Pap Tests
In the United States, there has been an unexpected increase in the number of young women who are overdue for Pap tests. As young women are the largest group of TikTok users in the U.S., obstetricians, gynecologists, and other physicians have recognized the opportunity to use TikTok as an innovative tool for informing women about the importance of Pap tests as a preventive measure for finding and preventing cervical cancer. As of November 2023, #papsmear has received 598.3 million views on TikTok, with many of the videos being from health professionals who are sharing about why Pap tests are needed and how they are performed. In their videos, many women’s healthcare providers, such as @dr.staci.t and @gyno_girls, demonstrate how Pap smears are performed by showing the medical tools used in the test (e.g., the vaginal speculum). It is unclear, however, whether showing such tools is effective. While it may help improve message processing and, in turn, persuasive effects, it may also have the opposite effect, diminishing young women’s interest in having a Pap test.
This study, informed by framing theory and theories of cognitive message processing, was designed to test the effects of common message features in TikTok videos about Pap tests. We examined the effects of showing the speculum (vs. providing the same information without the speculum shown) and the effects of framing the content to focus on overcoming either the cognitive barrier (understanding of what Pap tests are/why Pap tests are needed) or the pain barrier (being too fearful of pain) preventing many young women from receiving Pap tests. These barriers are among the top barriers impeding Pap test adherence. In a 2 (speculum presence: present vs. absent) x 2 (barrier framing: cognitive vs. pain) between subjects online experiment, we showed 536 young females in the U.S. 12 TikTok videos to test the effects of the message variables on perceived message effectiveness, arousal, fear, defensive avoidance, attitude toward Pap tests, and likelihood of getting a Pap test. The results indicate messages framed to focus on the cognitive (vs. pain) barrier are perceived as more effective and cause less arousal and defensive avoidance. Showing the speculum tool causes greater fear and arousal. A significant interaction between speculum presence and frame focus was found, such that participants’ likelihood of getting a Pap test is highest when messages are framed to focus on the cognitive barrier and show the speculum. Likelihood is lowest when messages focus on the pain barrier and show the speculum.
Based on these findings, the speculum may be effective to show in Pap test videos on TikTok in some cases, as it appears to cause greater cognitive resource allocation and, in turn, more persuasion. However, cognitive overload may occur when the speculum tool is shown in conjunction with talking about the pain barrier, resulting in the least persuasive effect. Based on these findings, we discuss theoretical implications and offer practical recommendations to medical professionals looking to adopt TikTok as an innovative health communication tool.
This study, informed by framing theory and theories of cognitive message processing, was designed to test the effects of common message features in TikTok videos about Pap tests. We examined the effects of showing the speculum (vs. providing the same information without the speculum shown) and the effects of framing the content to focus on overcoming either the cognitive barrier (understanding of what Pap tests are/why Pap tests are needed) or the pain barrier (being too fearful of pain) preventing many young women from receiving Pap tests. These barriers are among the top barriers impeding Pap test adherence. In a 2 (speculum presence: present vs. absent) x 2 (barrier framing: cognitive vs. pain) between subjects online experiment, we showed 536 young females in the U.S. 12 TikTok videos to test the effects of the message variables on perceived message effectiveness, arousal, fear, defensive avoidance, attitude toward Pap tests, and likelihood of getting a Pap test. The results indicate messages framed to focus on the cognitive (vs. pain) barrier are perceived as more effective and cause less arousal and defensive avoidance. Showing the speculum tool causes greater fear and arousal. A significant interaction between speculum presence and frame focus was found, such that participants’ likelihood of getting a Pap test is highest when messages are framed to focus on the cognitive barrier and show the speculum. Likelihood is lowest when messages focus on the pain barrier and show the speculum.
Based on these findings, the speculum may be effective to show in Pap test videos on TikTok in some cases, as it appears to cause greater cognitive resource allocation and, in turn, more persuasion. However, cognitive overload may occur when the speculum tool is shown in conjunction with talking about the pain barrier, resulting in the least persuasive effect. Based on these findings, we discuss theoretical implications and offer practical recommendations to medical professionals looking to adopt TikTok as an innovative health communication tool.