JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital media technologies provide users with the ability to interact with the content and receive information in a curvilinear way based on their preferences and engagement.

Objective:

The present study used skin cancer and sun protection as a health topic to explore how different types of interactivity on health websites influenced users’ attitudes, knowledge, behavioral intentions, and user experience.

Methods:

This study employed a 2 (modality interactivity: high vs. low) x 2 (message interactivity: high vs. low) between-subjects online experiment to examine the effects of modality interactivity and message interactivity on users’ attitudes, knowledge, behavioral intentions, and user experience. Four websites were created. Participants were recruited from MTurk (N=293) and randomly assigned into to one of four condition. After browsing the website, participants finished an online survey regarding their experience and cognitive perceptions.

Results:

Both modality interactivity (P=.001) and message interactivity (P<.001) had impact on intention to use sun protection. Attitudes toward health websites and perceived knowledge mediated the effects of modality interactivity and message interactivity on sun protection use intention individually. Participants in the high modality interactivity and high message interactivity condition felt more satisfied (P=.023). Participants in the low message interactivity condition had more interest in the experience with health websites than participants in the high message interactivity condition (P= .044).

Conclusions:

Findings suggested that modality interactivity influenced intention to use sun protection directly as well as via attitudes toward the websites. Message interactivity impacted intention to use sun sunscreen directly and also through perceived knowledge. Implications for designing health websites and health intervention content are discussed.