Designing information materials to reduce blame and build trust in health screening: The roles of stereotype content and perceived control

Objectives
This study explores strategies to reduce blame for false results and build trust in population-based cervical screening. False results cause patient frustration, blame, and distrust. To address these issues, we developed a decision aid comprising three components: (1) a journey map that visually explains the screening process, (2) a video featuring a medical scientist discussing uncertainty inherent in screening and her role in testing samples, and (3) a diagram illustrating the testing pathway.

Methods and Measures
Eight hundred women in Ireland were randomly assigned to one of four groups in an additive design: (1) control group viewing standard informational materials; (2) control + journey map; (3) control + journey map + video; (4) control + journey map + video + diagram. Exposure to each component was coded as yes/no, and their effects on blame and trust were assessed.

Results
The video reduced blame towards laboratories by improving perceptions of medical scientists’ warmth and competence and by increasing perceived uncontrollability of false results. Conversely, the journey map and diagram unexpectedly increased blame and anger, suggesting that transparency alone may not suffice to build trust.

Conclusions
The study underscores the importance of considering social cognitive factors in public health communication strategies.