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Does Q&A Boost Engagement? Health Messaging Experiments in the U.S. and Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Kirgios, Erika
  • Athey, Susan
  • Duckworth, Angela
  • Karlan, Dean
  • Luca, Michael
  • Milkman, Katherine
  • Offer-Westort, Molly

Abstract

Effective information sharing is critical for the success of organizations and governments. Because information that is easy to access is more likely to be adopted, leaders often minimize friction in information delivery. However, one type of friction may increase engagement: piquing curiosity by posing relevant questions prior to sharing information. To test this, we shared identical information about COVID-19 in either question-and-answer format or via direct statements across two preregistered field experiments in Ghana and Michigan (total N=49,395). Q&A-style communication increased information seeking about directly related topics (e.g., how to wear a mask properly) by 1.0 percentage-point (216%) in Ghana and by 1.1 percentage-points (19%) in Michigan (p’s

Suggested Citation

  • Kirgios, Erika & Athey, Susan & Duckworth, Angela & Karlan, Dean & Luca, Michael & Milkman, Katherine & Offer-Westort, Molly, 2026. "Does Q&A Boost Engagement? Health Messaging Experiments in the U.S. and Ghana," CEPR Discussion Papers 21176, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:21176
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    File URL: https://cepr.org/publications/DP21176
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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