Assessing the Impact of a Community-Based Narrative Film about Diabetes and Homelessness

Stigma prevents societal acceptance, reinforces social inequities, and greatly complicates the management of diabetes for those dealing with homelessness. Various forms of media, such as film, can educate audiences and play a role in reducing stigma, but the effectiveness of such interventions in changing individuals' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) requires further exploration. This study assessed the impact of a film on diabetes and homelessness through pre- and post-surveys of audience members (n = 202) at 12 screening events. The surveys measured changes in KAB through Likert scale questions, with scores ranging from 1 to 5. Statistical analyses, including Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were used to assess differences in KAB before and after viewing the film, as well as variations based on prior familiarity with diabetes and homelessness. Respondents' knowledge increased significantly across all topics related to both diabetes and homelessness. There were significant differences in all questions that assessed respondents' attitudes. Notably, respondents' beliefs changed significantly to be more positive, except for a single question where the pre-scores already demonstrated reasonably high baseline knowledge. In several domains, respondents familiar with diabetes did not have as significant of a change compared with individuals who were less familiar with diabetes at baseline. These findings suggest that narrative films can positively influence audience members' KAB about stigmatized conditions like diabetes and homelessness. Future research will examine the lasting impact of such interventions on audience members' KAB.