The Effect of Rurality as a Moderating Condition on the Theory of Planned Behavior via Storytelling Networks

Introduction

Health disparities exist among rural and urban communities. Many of these disparities can be addressed through increased preventative health action, such as increasing rates of screenings. To increase rates of preventative health actions, public health agencies should promote and educate these actions. To best educate rural communities, public health agencies need to understand how to make communications effective within these communities.

Methods

This dissertation examines the effect of difference sources of information on behavioral intent among individuals in rural communities through two studies: an analysis of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and a survey-embedded experiment.

Results

The findings of the HINTS analysis suggest that as an individual’s place of residence become more rural, the individual is more trusting of health information from religious leaders and organizations, while becoming less trusting of information from government health agencies. An experiment comparing proximate and distant sources of health information partially supports the theoretical model that information from proximate sources is more impactful among rural individuals.

Implications

Ultimately, more research examining the role of information source in behavioral intent and health action is needed.