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Record W4412461111 · doi:10.21037/mhealth-24-65

The role of digital storytelling methods in promoting health-related outcomes among young adults of color: a systematic review

2025· review· en· W4412461111 on OpenAlexaboutno aff
Allysha C. Maragh‐Bass, Nhi Dinh, Grace Cooney, Ese Aikhuele, Rasheeta Chandler, R. Hughes, Zoe Jones, Stephen J. Thomas, Zach Soberano, Jacob B Stocks, Henna Budhwani, Lisa Hightow‐Weidman, Lara Lorenzetti

Bibliographic record

VenuemHealth · 2025
Typereview
Languageen
FieldHealth Professions
TopicDigital Storytelling and Education
Canadian institutionsnot available
Fundersnot available
KeywordsStorytellingDigital storytellingPsychologyWomen of colorNarrativeArtSociologyGender studiesPedagogyLiterature

Abstract

fetched live from OpenAlex

Background: Digital storytelling (DST) encourages participants to use technology to create narratives and share personal experiences. Although DST can amplify the voices of groups experiencing marginalization, it is unclear how DST has been used among young adults of color. We also lack a comprehensive understanding of DST's role in addressing health-related outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to examine the role of DST in influencing health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among young adults of color. Methods: We searched three databases for peer-reviewed literature between January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2023, for references examining DST methods among young adults (aged 18-39 years) of color that included at least one health-related outcome. We used a two-stage review process to assess eligibility. Data were analyzed by DST type and health outcome. Results: From 877 references, we identified 33 eligible articles, most of which were from Canada and the USA. Studies addressed infectious diseases (n=13), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); mental health issues (n=10); maternal and reproductive health (n=5); and behavioral or other health themes (n=5). Across health areas, studies were divided by DST type: media creation (e.g., participants created digital stories) or media consumption (e.g., participants or other community members were exposed to stories). Studies using media creation often use qualitative methods to identify social determinants of health or reveal complex health-related issues. Studies using media consumption often used quantitative methods to measure knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Across health topics, DST demonstrated some effect in changing health knowledge and attitudes, but mixed results in terms of shifting health behaviors. Conclusions: DST can amplify the voices of young adults of color, especially regarding complex issues, such as managing HIV or mental health issues. Media creation studies explored lived experiences, while media consumption studies showed that DST was effective at improving knowledge and attitudes related to certain health issues. More randomized controlled trials may be necessary to better assess the effect of DST interventions on modifying health behaviors. Researchers should also consider the value of DST beyond health outcomes intended to be measured, including the ability to empower young adults of color to be more fully engaged throughout the research process.

Fetched live from OpenAlex and de-inverted. Abstracts are not stored in this database: the inverted indexes are 8.6 GB of the frame’s 9.3 GB of text, and the host has 13 GB free.

How this classification was reachedexpand

Full frame machine prediction

Teacher imitation

Not calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.

metaresearch head score (Codex)0.015
metaresearch head score (Gemma)0.070
Version: metacan-v3-hybrid-931329e0061cValidation status: machine_predicted_unvalidated
Candidate categoriesnone
Consensus categoriesnone
DomainCandidate signal: none · Consensus signal: none
Study designCandidate signal: Systematic review · Consensus signal: Systematic review
GenreCandidate signal: Review · Consensus signal: Review
Teacher disagreement score0.015
Threshold uncertainty score0.080

Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)

CategoryCodexGemma
Metaresearch0.0150.070
Meta-epidemiology (narrow)0.0010.001
Meta-epidemiology (broad)0.0060.007
Bibliometrics0.0150.014
Science and technology studies0.0010.001
Scholarly communication0.0040.004
Open science0.0020.002
Research integrity0.0020.001
Insufficient payload (model declined to judge)0.0040.000

Machine scores (provisional)

The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.

Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.

Opus teacher head0.063
GPT teacher head0.473
Teacher spread0.410 · how far apart the two teachers sit on this one work
Validation statusscore_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from it

Classification

machine, unvalidated

Machine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.

The models applied no category: nothing in the taxonomy fit this work.
Study designSystematic review
Domainnot available
GenreReview

How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".

Quick stats

Citations4
Published2025
Admission routes1
Has abstractyes

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