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Formative research is an important component of health communication campaign development. Rapid message testing approaches are useful for testing new messaging quickly and efficiently during public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, when guidance and recommendations are rapidly changing. Wiki surveys simultaneously collect quantitative message testing data and qualitative feedback on potential social media campaign messages. Philly CEAL used wiki surveys to test messages about COVID-19 vaccinations for dissemination on social media. A cross-sectional survey of Philadelphia residents (N = 199) was conducted between January and March 2023. Wiki surveys were used to assess the perceived effectiveness of messages promoting the updated COVID-19 booster and child vaccination. In each wiki survey, participants were presented with two messages and asked to select the one that they perceived as most effective. Participants could alternatively select "can't decide" or submit their own message. A score estimating the probability of selection was calculated for each message. Participant-generated messages were routinely reviewed and incorporated into the message pool. Participants cast a total of 32,281 votes on messages seeded by the research team (n = 20) and participants (n = 43). The highest scoring messages were those that were generated by participants and spoke to getting your child vaccinated to protect them against serious illness and getting the booster to protect your health and that of your community. These messages were incorporated into social media posts disseminated by Philly CEAL's social media accounts. Wiki surveys are a feasible and efficient method of rapid message testing for social media campaigns.

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BACKGROUND: During an infodemic, timely, reliable, and accessible information is crucial to combat the proliferation of health misinformation. While message testing can provide vital information to make data-informed decisions, traditional methods tend to be time- and resource-intensive. Recognizing this need, we developed the rapid message testing at scale (RMTS) approach to allow communicators to repurpose existing social media advertising tools and understand the full spectrum of audience engagement. OBJECTIVE: We had two main objectives: (1) to demonstrate the use of the RMTS approach for message testing, especially when resources and time are limited, and (2) to propose and test the efficacy of an outcome variable that measures engagement along a continuum of viewing experience. METHODS: We developed 12 versions of a single video created for a vaccine confidence project in India. We manipulated video length, aspect ratio, and use of subtitles. The videos were tested across 4 demographic groups (women or men, younger or older). We assessed user engagement along a continuum of viewing experience: obtaining attention, sustaining attention, conveying the message, and inspiring action. These were measured by the percentage of video watched and clicks on the call-to-action link. RESULTS: The video advertisements were placed on Facebook for over 4 consecutive days at the cost of US $450 and garnered a total of 3.34 million impressions. Overall, we found that the best-performing video was the shorter version in portrait aspect ratio and without subtitles. There was a significant but small association between the length of the video and users' level of engagement at key points along the continuum of viewing experience (N=1,032,888; χ24=48,261.97; P<.001; V=.22). We found that for the longer video, those with subtitles held viewers longer after 25% video watch time than those without subtitles (n=15,597; χ21=7.33; P=.007; V=.02). While we found some significant associations between the aspect ratio, the use of subtitles, and the number of users watching the video and clicking on the call-to-action link, the effect size for those were extremely small. CONCLUSIONS: This test served as a proof of concept for the RMTS approach. We obtained rapid feedback on formal message attributes from a very large sample. The results of this test reinforce the need for platform-specific tailoring of communications. While our data showed a general preference for a short video in portrait orientation and without subtitles among our target audiences on Facebook, that may not necessarily be the case in other social media platforms such as YouTube or TikTok, where users go primarily to watch videos. RMTS testing highlights nuances that communication professionals can address instead of being limited to a "one size fits all" approach.

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There are no evidence-based recommendations for communicating about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as part of a broader HIV-prevention messaging approach. To inform future message development related to PrEP uptake, we interviewed 235 individuals across ten locations in the U.S. to explore their understanding and perceptions of draft HIV prevention messages and assess their overall preferences for a broad or PrEP-focused messaging approach. Participants responded favorably to and related to both draft messages. Participants who were not aware of PrEP were more likely to say the broad HIV-prevention message was personally relevant than those aware of PrEP. There were no significant differences in perceived personal relevance for the PrEP-focused message. Qualitative findings suggest that HIV prevention messages should use specific well-defined terms, include links to additional information, and use choice-enhancing language that emphasizes personal agency and frames the call to action as an informed decision among an array of effective prevention options.

RESUMEN: No existen recommendaciones basadas en evidencia para comunicar sobre la profilaxis prexposición (PrEP) como parte de un efoque más amplio de mensajes de prevención del VIH. Para informar el desarrollo de mansajes relacionados con el consumo de la PrEP, entrevistamos a 235 personas en 10 ubicaciones en los EE.UU. para explorar su comprensión y percepciones de los borradores de mensajes de prevención del VIH y evaluar sus preferencias generales por un enfoque de mensajeria amplio o centrado en la PrEP. Los participantes respondieron favorablemente y relacionadoscon ambos barradores de mensajes. Los participantes que no conocían la PrEP tenían más probabilidades de decir que el mansaje general de prevención amplia de VIH era personalmente relevent que aquellos que conocían la PrEP. No existe differencias significativas en la relevancia personal percibida para el mensaje centrado en la PrEP. Los hallazgos cualitativos sugieren que los mensajes de prevención del VIH deben utilizar términos especificos bien definidos, incluir enlaces a información adicional y utilizar un lenguaje que mejore las opciones, que enfatice la agencia personal y enmarque el llamado a la acción como una decisión informada entre una variedad de opciones de prevención efectivas.

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BACKGROUND: In summer 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before fall travel to protect themselves and others from getting and spreading COVID-19 and new variants. Only 61% of parents had reported receiving at least 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study. Millennial parents, ages 25 to 40 years, were a particularly important parent population because they were likely to have children aged 12 years or younger (the age cutoff for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility during this time period) and were still planning to travel. Since Facebook has been identified as a popular platform for millennials and parents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Travelers' Health Branch determined an evaluation of public health messages was needed to identify which message appeals would resonate best with this population on Facebook. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate which travel-based public health message appeals aimed at addressing parental concerns and sentiments about COVID-19 vaccination would resonate most with Millennial parents (25 to 40 years old) using Facebook Ads Manager and social media metrics. METHODS: Six travel-based public health message appeals on parental concerns and sentiments around COVID-19 were developed and disseminated to millennial parents using Facebook Ads Manager. The messages ran from October 23, 2021, to November 8, 2021. Primary outcomes included the number of people reached and the number of impressions delivered. Secondary outcomes included engagements, clicks, click-through rate, and audience sentiments. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze comments. The advertisement budget was evaluated by cost-per-mille and cost-per-click metrics. RESULTS: All messages reached a total of 6,619,882 people and garnered 7,748,375 impressions. The Family (n=3,572,140 people reached, 53.96%; 4,515,836 impressions, 58.28%) and Return to normalcy (n=1,639,476 people reached, 24.77%; 1,754,227 impressions, 22.64%) message appeals reached the greatest number of people and garnered the most impressions out of all 6 message appeals. The Family message appeal received 3255 engagements (60.46%), and the Return to normalcy message appeal received 1148 engagements (21.28%). The Family appeal also received the highest number of positive post reactions (n=82, 28.37%). Most of the comments portrayed negative opinions about COVID-19 vaccination (n=46, 68.66%). All 6 message appeals were either on par with or outperformed cost-per-mille benchmarks set by other similar public health campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: Health communicators can use travel, specifically the Family and Return to normalcy message appeals, to successfully reach parents in their future COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and potentially inform health communication messaging efforts for other vaccine-preventable infectious disease campaigns. Public health programs can also utilize the lessons learned from this evaluation to communicate important COVID-19 information to their parent populations through travel messaging.

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Vaccination hesitancy is a barrier to India's efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Considerable resources have been spent to promote COVID-19 vaccination, but evaluations of such efforts are sparse. Our objective was to determine how vaccine videos that manipulate message appeal (collectivistic versus individualistic), tone (humorous versus serious), and source (male versus female protagonist) toward vaccines and vaccination. We developed eight videos that manipulated the type of appeal (collectivistic or individualistic), tone of the message (humor or serious), and gender of the vaccine promoter (male or female) in a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment. Participants (N = 2349) were randomly assigned to watch one of eight videos in an online experiment. Beliefs about vaccines and those about vaccination were obtained before and after viewing the video. Manipulation checks demonstrated that each of the three independent variables was manipulated successfully. After exposure to the video, beliefs about vaccines became more negative, while beliefs about vaccination became more positive. Humor reduced negative beliefs about vaccines. Collectivism and protagonist gender did not affect beliefs about vaccines or vaccination. Those able to remember the protagonist's gender (a measure of attention) were likely to develop favorable beliefs if they had also seen the humorous videos. These findings suggest that people distinguish beliefs about vaccines, which deteriorated after exposure to the videos, from beliefs about vaccination, which improved. We recommend using humor when appropriate and focusing on the outcomes of vaccination, rather than on the vaccines themselves.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) disease by finding and treating cases of TB disease and expanding latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) testing and treatment to prevent TB disease. Approximately 70% of reported TB cases in the United States occur among non-U.S.-born persons. We conducted 15 focus groups with U.S. residents born in the six most common countries of birth among non-U.S.-born TB patients: Mexico, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, China and Guatemala. Participants reacted to 39 messages on LTBI and TB disease risk factors, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and LTBI testing and treatment. There was low awareness of LTBI, the TB blood test, and how the TB blood test is not affected by prior BCG vaccination. Several participants thought TB disease is contracted by sharing kitchenware. Some felt negatively targeted when presented with information about countries where TB disease is more common than the U.S. Findings highlight the need for communication aimed at increasing LTBI testing and treatment to include messages framed in ways that will be resonant and actionable to populations at risk. Focus groups revealed LTBI misconceptions which highlight areas for targeted education to decrease TB stigma and increase LTBI testing and treatment.

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to formatively evaluate a health communication campaign on body image targeting undergraduate female students. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 331 students at a large public Midwestern university participated in the study. METHODS: Researchers used central intercept procedures to recruit students from residence halls. After viewing the campaign materials, students completed an online survey assessing their message endorsement and level of eating disorder symptomology and provided open-ended comments. RESULTS: Students appreciated the message and thought it was effective, though students with greater body image concerns were less receptive to the message. Thematic analysis indicated students perceive body image to be a relevant issue, yet they want the university to provide more attention to, and information on, the topic. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, students understood the message and found it helpful. Nevertheless, students with body image issues responded less favorably, warranting the need for secondary and tertiary prevention.

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Objective: Digital mammography can reveal not only breast cancer but also breast arterial calcification (BAC), which can indicate potential coronary artery disease. To explore ways to inform women of their BAC status in the context of a standard mammography results letter, we conducted a preliminary study comparing gain- and loss-framed messages to encourage follow-up cardiovascular care. Methods: U.S. women over age 40 with no heart disease history (N = 227) were randomly assigned to view a mammography letter including BAC information in one of seven ways (three gain-framed messages, three loss-framed messages, one comparison message). Results: Post-test measures indicated no significant differences on BAC knowledge, recall of test results and recommendations, perceived message effectiveness, or behavioral intentions for follow-up. Conclusion: Despite showing no significant differences between message conditions, results supported the messages' ability to clearly convey BAC information and encourage intention for follow-up cardiovascular care. Innovation: This experimental study represents the first published report examining the inclusion of BAC screening results within the mammography letter. It also explored the use of message framing in a dual detection-prevention context and suggests that future work should test the effects of including both framing tactics in messages designed to target dual-focus contexts.

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INTRODUCTION: Given the prevalence of electronic vapor product (EVP) use among young people in the US, there is a need for effective vaping education campaigns. This study tested 32 images for liking and perceived effectiveness (PE) to identify optimal images for a messaging campaign. METHOD: Images were selected from current campaigns, warning labels, and other images based on young adult reasons for use. Images were coded for the presence of (1) people, (2) vapor, (3) device, (4) color, and (5) similarity to warning label image. Young adults (n = 200) were recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. Participants were randomly assigned to view and rate six of the 32 images on liking as well as PE, which measured the potential impact of the image to discourage vaping appeal and use. RESULTS: Images containing vapor and/or a device or e-liquid were not well-liked but were perceived as effective in discouraging vaping (ps < 0.05). Images from warning labels were also not well-liked but were perceived as significantly more effective than those not from a warning (p < 0.01). Liking and effectiveness of features was similar for both EVP users and non-users. DISCUSSION: Images with specific features were rated as less likable but rated as higher on PE. However, the consistency of image features rated as effective by EVP users and non-users supports the utility of similar imagery for vaping prevention and reduction efforts.

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INTRODUCTION: From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have sought to develop evidence-based messages to reduce COVID-19 transmission by communicating key information to media outlets and the public. We describe the development of an interdisciplinary rapid message testing model to quickly create, test, and share messages with public health officials for use in health campaigns and policy briefings. METHODS: An interdisciplinary research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assembled in March 2020 to assist the state health department in developing evidence-based messages to influence social distancing behaviors in the state. We developed and iteratively executed a rapid message testing model; the components of the 4-step model were message creation, survey development, survey administration, and analysis and presentation to health department officials. The model was executed 4 times, each during a 7-day period in April and May, and each subsequent survey included new phrasing and/or messaging informed by the previous week's survey. A total of 917 adults from North Carolina participated in the 4 surveys. RESULTS: Survey participants rated messages focused on protecting oneself and others higher than messages focused on norms and fear-based approaches. Pairing behaviors with motivations increased participants' desire to social distance across all themes and subgroups. For example, adding "Protect your grandmother, your neighbor with cancer, and your best friend with asthma," to messaging received a 0.9-point higher score than the base message, "Stay 6 feet apart from others when out in public." PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our model to promote social distancing in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used for rapid, iterative message testing during public health emergencies.

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Acting on health literacy principles in a large agency requires not only knowledge of the research base, but also creative work to implement the concepts in practice. Sound scientific advice needs practical development, shaped for the specific working environment. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to test communications with intended audiences, but must work within constraints including: Widely varied audiences Significant time pressure Complying with multiple reviews designed to protect potential message testers Testing messages with the intended audiences is a basic communications responsibility, not just an option. Yet, how to do the testing can be challenging. The FDA's experience suggests two practical approaches for user testing: Internal message testing with a network of employee volunteers External message testing with consumer panelists The report briefly explains how the FDA assesses some public communication internally and externally to attain insights about a target audience or a health message as well as discover how a communication might be modified to improve its usability by an intended audience. The report suggests internal or external message testing is superior to controls (no testing) and such testing can be accomplished by a large governmental agency embedded within a complex regulatory environment.

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BACKGROUND: In 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed nine graphic health warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packaging that were rated equally effective across racial/ethnic, education, or income groups of adult smokers. However, data on GHW effectiveness among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults, who have higher smoking prevalence, are currently lacking. This study analyzed whether perceived effectiveness of GHWs differed by gender and sexual orientation. METHODS: Data came from a randomized experiment among 1,200 adults with an oversample from low socioeconomic status groups, conducted between 2013 and 2014 in three Massachusetts communities. Participants viewed and rated the effectiveness of nine GHWs. Mixed effects regression models predicted perceived effectiveness with gender and sexual orientation, adjusting for repeated measurements, GHWs viewed, age, race, ethnicity, smoking status, and health status. RESULTS: Female heterosexuals rated GHWs as more effective than male heterosexual, lesbian, and transgender and other gender respondents. There was no significant difference between female and male heterosexuals versus gay, male bisexual, or female bisexual respondents. Differences by gender and sexual orientation were consistent across all nine GHWs. Significant correlates of higher perceived effectiveness included certain GHWs, older age, being African-American (vs white), being Hispanic (vs non-Hispanic), having less than high school education (vs associate degree or higher), and being current smokers (vs non-smokers). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived effectiveness of GHWs was lower in certain SGM groups. We recommend further studies to understand the underlying mechanisms for these findings and investments in research and policy to communicate anti-smoking messages more effectively to SGM populations.

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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) addresses use of clinical preventive services relative to evidence-based guidelines by mandating that most health insurance plans provide coverage without cost-sharing for services that receive an A or B rating. However, knowledge about and positive attitudes towards guidelines are extremely low. This study was a population-based randomized experiment to examine beliefs about and intentions to adhere to screening guidelines for the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and Pap tests. The study had two objectives: (1) test reactions to and understanding of guidelines, and (2) experimentally compare receptivity to messages to promote PSA and Pap test recommendations. We first surveyed a population-based sample of (1) US adults age 18 and over, (2) subsample of women aged 65 or younger, (3) subsample of men aged 40 or older. A sample of 2923 completed an initial questionnaire. Next a subset of participants meeting eligibility criteria were recruited from the population-based sample into a message testing experiment: (1) women aged 65 or younger, (2) and men aged 40 or older. Participants meeting these eligibility requirements were randomized to gain, loss, or balanced PSA (men) or Pap test (women) message stimulus conditions and followed for 8 weeks. Data were collected through the GfK Custom Research panel. A total of 2401 were eligible, 2321 completed the baseline, and 1730 completed follow up. Mixed effect regression models revealed that higher receptivity to messages was associated with greater intentions to seek cancer information and to speak to a Doctor about PSA and Pap tests. The loss frame was associated with higher intentions to speak to friends and family about PSA and Pap tests. Finally, perceived importance and personal understanding of guidelines predicted intentions to seek more information about them. This study contributes to evidence on how best to inform and engage consumers regarding preventive services.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted exploratory research as part of planning a national education campaign to raise awareness about viral hepatitis in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative research was to assess the baseline knowledge, attitudes, and screening behaviors of four population groups. Sixteen focus groups were conducted during a 6-week period in the fall of 2009, with a total of 119 adults aged 35 to 60 years in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and Houston, Texas. The groups were stratified by Asian Americans, African Americans, gay or bisexual men, and general population. Group size ranged from three to nine participants, and each session was approximately 90 minutes in length. Both awareness and knowledge of viral hepatitis were low among all participants, including those at increased risk for the disease. Little was known about the different types of hepatitis, risk factors, or how the viruses are transmitted. Regarding the last, many indicated that the disease was airborne. In addition, participants incorrectly assumed that if they had viral hepatitis, they would have symptoms and know they were infected. Many participants also believed that they had been tested for the disease since their health care providers routinely "test their blood." The findings indicate that significant and concerted educational efforts are needed to improve basic knowledge of viral hepatitis, as well as knowledge about transmission, risk factors, screening, and treatment. As a result, a general awareness and education campaign must precede and support efforts to encourage screening.

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