Title
Predicting Participation in Ultrasound Hip Screening From Message Framing
Author
Witting, M.
Boere-Boonekamp, M.M.
Fleuren, M.A.H.
Sakkers, R.J.B.
IJzerman, M.J.
Publication year
2012
Abstract
The use of ultrasound (US) screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an innovation in preventive child health care in the Netherlands. What is not known is whether parents will accept this screening method and will actually participate in it. It is widely known that health behaviors can be influenced by the framing of information. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of a gain- versus loss-framed brochure on parental participation in US screening for DDH. In total, 4150 parents of infants born between August 2007 and December 2008 received either a gain-framed or a loss-framed brochure. Parents could participate in the screening when their infant was 3 months old. The participation rate in the US screening was 74.3%. In contrast to the predictions of prospect theory, the results indicated that parents who had received the gain-framed message were more likely to participate in the screening compared to parents who had received the loss-framed message. This effect may be explained by the low risk perception of parents and by the possibility that the screening was perceived as a health-affirming behavior rather than an illness-detecting behavior. To increase participation rates, it is recommended that parents be informed about the positive aspects of partaking in screening for DDH. © 2012 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Subject
Human
LS - Life Style CH - Child Health
BSS - Behavioural and Societal Sciences
Healthy Living
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4c858586-1c4e-45b8-b9fa-7049bb1d8e8b
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2011.571760
TNO identifier
446883
ISSN
1041-0236
Source
Health Communication, 27 (2), 186-193
Document type
article