Promoting HPV vaccination on social media: interactive effects of threat, efficacy and social cues

Women are currently facing a tremendous threat of cervical cancer globally. Social media health campaigns have the potential to shape public health behaviors. This study explores the effects of cervical-cancer-related fear appeal messages with social cues on social media using the extended parallel processing model (EPPM).

We use a 2 (threat: present vs. absent) × 2 (efficacy: present vs. absent) × 2 (social cues: high vs. low) factorial experimental design to examine the effects of fear appeal messages with social cues on behavioral intention to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

There was a significant main effect of threat on the intention to receive HPV vaccination. Additionally, a significant three-way interactive effect among threat, efficacy, and social cues was detected.

Women exposed to threat messages had a higher intention of HPV vaccination compared to those who were exposed to non-threat messages. Furthermore, with the low number of likes, women who were exposed to messages containing both threat and efficacy tended to have the highest intention of HPV vaccination.

When conducting fear appeal campaigns on social media, the side effects of number of likes should be recognized. For vaccination promotion campaigns, the efficacy information should be more specific and audience-centered.