Improving Communication During a Pandemic Flu Outbreak

Linguistic framing used in written health messages. Each version of the messages described the pandemic flu and the efficacy of the antivirals using linguistic expressions that assigned transmission to either humans (HA: 'You can contract the virus when you touch…') or the pandemic flu virus itself (VA: 'It can infect you when you touch…')

Linguistic framing used in written health messages. Each message described the side effects of the antivirals in terms of chances of either experiencing (negative framing: 'Uncommon side effects (10% of people will be affected)') or not experiencing side effects (positive framing: 'Uncommon side effects (90% of people will not be affected)') after using them.