FSU CO-AUTHORED STUDY FINDS VISUALS, NUMBERS CAN SHAPE PERCEPTIONS OF LYME DISEASE RISK

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 9 -- Florida State University issued the following news release:

Infographics can influence how people perceive the risks of Lyme disease and encourage them to take preventive measures, according to new research co-authored by a Florida State University professor.

Patrick Merle, director of FSU's School of Communication, co-authored the study -- >, which found that infographics increased participants' perceptions of their susceptibility to tick bites and Lyme disease, as well as their intentions to take preventative action.

The findings, published in the Journal of Health Communication, also found that how numbers were presented mattered. Participants who saw percentages rather than absolute numbers perceived Lyme...