Examining factors that increase tuberculosis knowledge: a multigroup comparison of the cognitive mediation model based on belief in science

Abstract Drawing upon the Cognitive Mediation Model (CMM), this study aims to examine how attention to television, text-based social media, and video-based social media influence knowledge acquisition about tuberculosis (TB) via elaboration and interpersonal discussion. A total of 467 Chinese respondents participated in our survey. The results demonstrated that attention to text-based and video-based social media significantly promoted elaboration, which, in turn, enhanced both subjective and factual knowledge about TB. Attention to television, text-based, and video-based social media also facilitated interpersonal discussion; however, interpersonal discussion only increased subjective knowledge, not factual knowledge. The multigroup analysis demonstrated that the effects of (a) attention to television on interpersonal discussion and (b) elaboration on subjective knowledge were more pronounced among participants with high level of belief in science than among those with low science belief. These findings contribute to the CMM literature and offer practical implications for designing targeted health communication strategies to combat TB.