Journal of Medical Internet Research · 3 authors, 2 centres
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This systematic review of 18 studies found that health communication in short videos often uses relevant topics and themes to achieve persuasive effects, though the impact of specific narrative techniques is unclear. The field is nascent, with methodological limitations like inconsistent video definitions and sample biases.
This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines to synthesize 18 studies on the persuasive effects of health communication in short videos. The review identified three main themes: prevention of unhealthy behaviors, reducing health-related stigma, and promoting health behaviors. Most studies were theoretically grounded, and persuasive effects were linked to topic relevance and themes, while the impact of diverse narrative techniques remained ambiguous. The synthesis revealed significant methodological limitations, including a lack of uniform definition for short videos (lengths ranged from 25 seconds to 20 minutes), sample biases favoring Western and highly educated populations, and a reliance on web-based or laboratory experiments. The authors conclude that future research should define short videos beyond time constraints, expand sample diversity, and employ more varied methods to comprehensively assess persuasive effects.
