Facing the facts: Exploring Narrative vs. Statistical Communication Strategies for Enhancing Radon Risk Perception and Promoting Radon Protective Actions

Radon poses a significant health risk when present indoors. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Effective communication strategies are essential for raising awareness about radon and encouraging individuals to test and mitigate. However, current approaches, which primarily focus on statistical information, have not proven sufficiently effective. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the impact of narratives—compared to statistical texts—on personal and general risk perception and intentions to adopt radon protective behaviour. Additionally, the mediating role of psychological distance was investigated, building on the risk convergence model. Using a between-subject design, an online experiment was conducted with three conditions: a narrative condition (N = 124), a statistical condition (N = 126), and a control condition (N = 133). The study revealed that narratives are effective in influencing personal and general risk perception. They also played a pivotal role in encouraging behavioural intentions, such as the intention to seek information, intention to test and mitigate. This underlines the importance of different communication strategies in shaping risk perception and behavioural intent. These findings contribute to the development of more effective communication strategies for reducing radon-related health risks and enhancing overall public health.