Unpacking Digital Dashboards' Influence on Preventive Health Behavior Among Young Adults

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for digital tools in public health decision-making and behavior change.
• Infectious disease data is often communicated through dashboards, but their impact on preventive health behaviors (PHBs), especially among young adults, remains unclear.
• Young adults are a key demographic due to their lower adherence to PHBs and high digital tool familiarity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of actionable dashboards in promoting PHBs among young adults.
• To identify specific dashboard components that influence PHB intentions and explore the underlying psychosocial mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Two experimental studies involving young adult participants (N=200, N=228) were conducted.
• Participants were randomly assigned to view COVID-19 data dashboards with or without actionable components (dynamic behavioral guidance, risk visualizations).
• Data on PHB intentions, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, norms, and risk were collected using Likert scales.

Main Results:

• Actionable dashboards significantly increased PHB intentions compared to basic dashboards (Study 1).
• Dynamic behavioral guidance was identified as the crucial component driving increased PHB intentions (Study 2).
• Mediation analysis revealed that social norms, not attitudes, control, or risk, explained the relationship between dashboard intervention and PHB intentions.

Conclusions:

• Actionable dashboards can effectively promote PHBs by influencing psychosocial beliefs, particularly social norms.
• Integrating behavioral guidance into public health dashboards can enhance their effectiveness in encouraging preventive actions.
• Public health professionals should leverage these findings to design more impactful digital communication tools.