Evidence for the efficacy of humanizing narratives to promote support for harm-reduction policies in the United States

Background: Prior work has suggested that harm-reduction policies (HRPs) are influenced by beliefs that the public hold about drug use. The current studies sought to explore if controllability beliefs about addiction are linked with such support for heroin-oriented HRPs and whether aspects of humanizing narratives may be effective in heightening support for HRPs. Methods: Two studies administered in the United States (total N = 536) used survey designs to assess the causal effects of humanizing narratives on HRP support and controllability beliefs (Study 1) and the specific effect of mortality outcomes on HRP support (Study 2). Results: Results showed that while humanizing narratives did appear to elicit changes in controllability beliefs, this did not translate to changes in HRP support. Study 2 found that changes in HRP support were elicited by emphasizing the potential mortality affiliated with long-term heroin use. Conclusions: The current research suggests that, although controllability beliefs do explain HRP support, targeting controllability may not be an effective approach for messaging campaigns. Instead, the more severe mortality outcomes of long-term heroin use may be the more effective strategy to employ in public health messaging campaigns seeking to elicit HRP support.