a Department of Communication , Cornell University.
b Department of Natural Resources , Cornell University.
Health Commun. 2019 Jul;34(8):825-837. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1437526. Epub 2018 Feb 26.
Women of childbearing age (WCBA) can attain health benefits of fish consumption while minimizing risks by following state and federal fish consumption guidelines, but many women avoid fish out of concerns about mercury exposure. This study tested the impact of brochures, informed by communication theory and research, to promote healthy fish consumption among licensed female anglers. We conducted a randomized, two-wave longitudinal experiment between May 2014 and September 2015 among 1,135 women ages 18-48 years (at baseline), drawn from a sample of licensed anglers in the Great Lakes region of the United States. We randomly assigned women to one of five groups, to either be sent one of four brochures in spring 2015 using a two (including a short personal narrative or not) by two (using certain or uncertain language) factorial design, or to a no-exposure control arm. Participants reported their fish consumption in summer 2014 and summer 2015 via an online diary. Exposure to brochure versions that included a short personal narrative helped move women whose baseline levels of fish consumption were furthest from federal recommendations closer to these guidelines; effects were clearest among women confirmed, by self-report or web tracking, to have seen the brochure. Narratives hold promise as a strategy to communicate effectively about the benefits of healthy fish consumption and risks of overconsumption among WCBA, but widespread dissemination may be necessary to achieve these effects.
育龄妇女（WCBA）可以通过遵循州和联邦鱼类消费指南来获得鱼类消费的健康益处，同时将风险降至最低，但许多女性出于对汞暴露的担忧而避免食用鱼类。本研究通过以沟通理论和研究为依据的小册子来测试促进有执照的女性钓鱼者健康食用鱼类的影响。我们于 2014 年 5 月至 2015 年 9 月期间在美国五大湖地区的有执照钓鱼者样本中进行了一项随机、两波纵向实验，共纳入 1135 名年龄在 18-48 岁的女性（基线时）。我们将女性随机分配到五个组中的一个，在 2015 年春季使用二乘二（包括简短个人叙述与否）析因设计向她们发送四种小册子中的一种，或者分配到无暴露对照组。参与者通过在线日记报告他们在 2014 年夏季和 2015 年夏季的鱼类消费情况。暴露于包含简短个人叙述的小册子版本有助于推动那些基线鱼类消费最不符合联邦建议的女性更接近这些指南；这种效果在那些通过自我报告或网络追踪确认看过小册子的女性中最为明显。叙述作为一种有效沟通健康鱼类消费益处和 WCBA 过度消费风险的策略具有潜力，但可能需要广泛传播才能实现这些效果。
