The Role of Narratives in Countering Health Misinformation: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Given the prevalence of health misinformation, it is essential to develop interventions to correct misinformation and reduce its negative influence. Emerging research has investigated the use of narratives as both prebunking and debunking strategies, but the findings are mixed regarding their effectiveness. This systematic scoping review aimed to examine the role of narratives in countering health misinformation, drawing on evidence from 19 studies. The identified studies investigate a variety of health issues, with most employing a randomized experimental design and collecting data in the United States. The findings suggest that narratives are a promising prebunking strategy to inoculate individuals against health misinformation. However, their effectiveness in debunking health misinformation remains inconsistent. Narrative features such as emotional appeals and audiovisual elements may enhance their impact. Directions for future research are discussed.