A new Michigan State University study found that website videos are more effective at delivering public health messages than using text alone.
The study created two websites designed to teach mothers with young daughters about breast cancer. One contained only text, while the other included short video clips.
Evan Perrault works for MSU's Communications Department.He says there was a clear difference in results between the two sites.
He says those who viewed the website that included videos performed one more risk protection behavior than those who visited the plain text site.
Perrault says MSU has been looking for the best way to inform the general public about their scientific discoveries, and is likely to conduct further research to expand upon this study's findings.
The study, “Testing the Effects of the Addition of Videos to a Website Promoting Environmental Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Practices: Are Videos Worth It?” was published online today in the National Communication Association's Journal of Applied Communication Research.