The effect of narratives on perceived antibacterial resistance susceptibility: A randomized controlled experiment...

Healthcare professionals often perceive antibiotic resistance (ABR) as distant and abstract, thereby underestimating their susceptibility to it. This study examined whether reading or writing a narrative can enhance perceived susceptibility to ABR. In an experiment, Dutch medical students (n = 237) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: reading or writing a narrative or reading non-narrative information (control). Perceived susceptibility was measured at three spatial distance levels: 'you', 'your patients', and patients abroad. Narratives, whether read or written, were not more effective than non-narrative information in increasing participants' perceived susceptibility to ABR. Imaginability mediated the relationship between type of narrative and perceived susceptibility post-manipulation only at the distance level 'your patients'. At this distance level, the pre-constructed narrative increased imaginability more than the self-constructed narrative. Future experimental studies should investigate the effect of adjusted narratives in increasing perceived susceptibility to ABR, a threat perceived as distant and abstract.