Background: This study evaluated the impact of avatar-based e-health communication about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) targeting college students, who are particularly vulnerable to HPV infection given the mode of transmission and commonness of HPV infection among young people.
Methods: A randomized experiment (N=94)tested the potential and impact of avatar-guidede-health interventions targeting college students within 3D virtual worlds. A 3D medical recommendation avatar located in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) within SecondLife(SL) delivered educational health messages about the HPV to a target audience.
Results: The experiment examined the effects of message framing (costs-framed e-health interventions vs. benefits-framed e-health interventions) and the moderating role of personal relevance in the e-health persuasion process inside 3D virtual environments. Costs-framed e-health interventions resulted in higher HPV vaccine uptake intentions, and health consumers’ personal relevance moderated the framing effect.
Conclusions: E-health interventions for HPV prevention are possible through avatar-based virtual environments like SL. The study addressed the potential advantages and issues related to utilizing medical recommendation avatars for e-health education on HPV.