Researchers conducted a study to see if telling stories could help healthcare workers better understand the dangers of antibiotic resistance. They tested 237 Dutch medical students by having them read or write different types of information about the issue.
The results showed that narratives were not more effective than standard, non-narrative information at making participants feel more susceptible to the risk. While stories are often used in education, they did not change how students perceived risks for themselves, their patients, or people abroad compared to plain facts.
One specific finding was that pre-made stories helped with 'imaginability' more than stories the students wrote themselves. However, this did not translate into a higher sense of risk. Because antibiotic resistance is often seen as a distant problem, these results suggest that narrative styles may not be the best way to change perceptions about this specific issue.
Common questions
Can storytelling help people understand antibiotic resistance?
The study showed that narratives, whether read or written, were not more effective than non-narrative information at increasing perceived susceptibility to antibiotic resistance. While stories might be used in teaching, they did not change how the medical students perceived the risks for themselves or their patients.
What was the difference between reading and writing a story?
The study found that pre-constructed narratives increased imaginability more than self-constructed narratives at the 'your patients' distance level. However, neither type of narrative was more effective than non-narrative information at increasing the overall perceived susceptibility to antibiotic resistance.
Who participated in this study?
The study included 237 Dutch medical students. The researchers used this group to see if different types of communication could improve how healthcare professionals perceive risks associated with antibiotic resistance.
