Public relations has sometimes been referred to as “The Art of Storytelling.”
How effective are stories in changing behavior? A recent research
study conducted by Dr. Linda Larkey, faculty member of the University of
Arizona College of Medicine, measures the impact of storytelling on human
behavior.

Researchers at the University of Arizona, Dept. of Family & Community
Medicine in Scottsdale, were seeking a novel approach to reach the local Latino
population, who traditionally do not seek preventive services, show particularly low
rates of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), and poorer survival rates when this
disease occurs. The researchers’ efforts to raise awareness about the disease and
the importance of early screenings using traditional risk communication strategies
were not proving successful.

Read the full story on how they accomplished their goal of reaching out to the Latino population in Arizona at Scott Public Relations.