Psychological Analysis of Fear-Based Healthcare Messaging: Comparing HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Through the Lens of Spiral Dynamics

Dr. Tomás Campbell [1], a member of the BPS Division of Clinical Psychology Faculty for HIV and Sexual Health, article "Towards more inclusive and Empowering Healthcare Campaigns" [2] presents a compelling analysis of the evolution of HIV/AIDS messaging over four decades, tracing a path from fear-based approaches to more empowering, inclusive strategies. This progression reflects significant advances in both medical understanding and psychological approaches to public health communication. 

The SDTEST® survey data on fears provides an excellent opportunity to examine how these evolving messaging strategies align with contemporary fear psychology and value systems as described by Spiral Dynamics theory.


Comparative Analysis of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Fear Prevalence


The SDTEST® survey "Fears" involving 3,679 participants across 105 countries reveals that HIV/AIDS now ranks relatively low at 4%, while COVID-19 ranks even lower at just 2%. Below is a abridged version of the survey results. The full results are available for free in the FAQ section after login or registration.


Strahovi

Zemlja
Jezik
-
Mail
Preračunati
Kritična vrijednost koeficijenta korelacije
Normalna distribucija, William Sealy Gosset (student) r = 0.0322
Normalna distribucija, William Sealy Gosset (student) r = 0.0322
Ne normalna distribucija, Spearman r = 0.0013
DistribucijaNe
normalan
Ne
normalan
Ne
normalan
NormalanNormalanNormalanNormalanNormalan
Sva pitanja
Sva pitanja
Moj najveći strah je
Moj najveći strah je
Answer 1-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0508
Slaba pozitivan
0.0355
Slaba negativan
-0.0167
Slaba pozitivan
0.0937
Slaba pozitivan
0.0343
Slaba negativan
-0.0182
Slaba negativan
-0.1547
Answer 2-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0195
Slaba pozitivan
0.0014
Slaba negativan
-0.0408
Slaba pozitivan
0.0643
Slaba pozitivan
0.0458
Slaba pozitivan
0.0125
Slaba negativan
-0.0972
Answer 3-
Slaba negativan
-0.0015
Slaba negativan
-0.0086
Slaba negativan
-0.0466
Slaba negativan
-0.0457
Slaba pozitivan
0.0478
Slaba pozitivan
0.0753
Slaba negativan
-0.0172
Answer 4-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0408
Slaba pozitivan
0.0319
Slaba negativan
-0.0223
Slaba pozitivan
0.0188
Slaba pozitivan
0.0303
Slaba pozitivan
0.0224
Slaba negativan
-0.0966
Answer 5-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0298
Slaba pozitivan
0.1336
Slaba pozitivan
0.0088
Slaba pozitivan
0.0795
Slaba negativan
-1.99E-5
Slaba negativan
-0.0229
Slaba negativan
-0.1798
Answer 6-
Slaba negativan
-0.0034
Slaba pozitivan
0.0110
Slaba negativan
-0.0659
Slaba negativan
-0.0082
Slaba pozitivan
0.0211
Slaba pozitivan
0.0840
Slaba negativan
-0.0309
Answer 7-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0120
Slaba pozitivan
0.0425
Slaba negativan
-0.0709
Slaba negativan
-0.0286
Slaba pozitivan
0.0481
Slaba pozitivan
0.0654
Slaba negativan
-0.0499
Answer 8-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0640
Slaba pozitivan
0.0829
Slaba negativan
-0.0292
Slaba pozitivan
0.0153
Slaba pozitivan
0.0355
Slaba pozitivan
0.0130
Slaba negativan
-0.1349
Answer 9-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0682
Slaba pozitivan
0.1692
Slaba pozitivan
0.0047
Slaba pozitivan
0.0672
Slaba negativan
-0.0136
Slaba negativan
-0.0508
Slaba negativan
-0.1787
Answer 10-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0770
Slaba pozitivan
0.0734
Slaba negativan
-0.0207
Slaba pozitivan
0.0265
Slaba pozitivan
0.0318
Slaba negativan
-0.0106
Slaba negativan
-0.1292
Answer 11-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0622
Slaba pozitivan
0.0589
Slaba negativan
-0.0052
Slaba pozitivan
0.0085
Slaba pozitivan
0.0186
Slaba pozitivan
0.0236
Slaba negativan
-0.1234
Answer 12-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0425
Slaba pozitivan
0.1011
Slaba negativan
-0.0350
Slaba pozitivan
0.0358
Slaba pozitivan
0.0313
Slaba pozitivan
0.0237
Slaba negativan
-0.1534
Answer 13-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0681
Slaba pozitivan
0.1019
Slaba negativan
-0.0379
Slaba pozitivan
0.0274
Slaba pozitivan
0.0411
Slaba pozitivan
0.0139
Slaba negativan
-0.1626
Answer 14-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0726
Slaba pozitivan
0.0994
Slaba negativan
-0.0033
Slaba negativan
-0.0062
Slaba pozitivan
0.0029
Slaba pozitivan
0.0113
Slaba negativan
-0.1222
Answer 15-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0550
Slaba pozitivan
0.1342
Slaba negativan
-0.0341
Slaba pozitivan
0.0173
Slaba negativan
-0.0187
Slaba pozitivan
0.0206
Slaba negativan
-0.1187
Answer 16-
Slaba pozitivan
0.0668
Slaba pozitivan
0.0281
Slaba negativan
-0.0339
Slaba negativan
-0.0419
Slaba pozitivan
0.0660
Slaba pozitivan
0.0248
Slaba negativan
-0.0759


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This modest fear prevalence contrasts sharply with the historical positioning of HIV/AIDS as a primary existential threat during the 1980s-90s. As the article aptly notes, early HIV/AIDS campaigns relied heavily on fear-based messaging, leveraging protection-motivation theory to drive behavioral change through graphic depictions of mortality and disease. The current survey results suggest these diseases have been partially normalized in the public consciousness, supporting the article's observation that medical advancements have transformed HIV from a death sentence to a manageable chronic condition.


When examining broader fear contexts, it's noteworthy that personal concerns about "illness of relatives and children" (11%) and general "illness" (8%) outrank specific disease fears like HIV/AIDS or COVID-19. This pattern indicates that abstract illness threats generate more anxiety than particular diseases that have been subject to extensive public education campaigns. This finding aligns with the article's discussion of how healthcare messaging has evolved toward destigmatization and normalization, particularly for HIV/AIDS.


Spiral Dynamics Correlations: Understanding Value Systems and Fear Responses


The correlation data between disease fears and Spiral Dynamics stages provides fascinating insights into how different value systems engage with health threats. HIV/AIDS shows a positive correlation (0.0662) with Orange-level thinking, which represents achievement-oriented, strategic value systems. This alignment makes psychological sense, as Orange thinking prioritizes personal agency and risk management. Individuals operating from this value system may respond more actively to diseases perceived as consequences of personal behavior choices.


Conversely, HIV/AIDS fears correlate negatively with Yellow (-0.0516) and more strongly with Turquoise (-0.1776) value systems. These second-tier thinking systems in Spiral Dynamics represent more complex, integrative worldviews that may contextualize disease within a broader systemic understanding. The stronger negative correlation with Turquoise thinking is particularly notable, as this holistic perspective tends to integrate mortality and vulnerability into a comprehensive worldview, potentially reducing fear responses to specific conditions.


For COVID-19, the correlation pattern differs significantly. The positive correlation with Green thinking (0.0637) suggests that communitarian, egalitarian value systems may experience heightened concern about highly communicable diseases that threaten community well-being. This aligns with the article's discussion of how modern healthcare campaigns increasingly emphasize collective responsibility and community protection. The negative correlations with Blue (-0.0342), Orange (-0.0409), and Turquoise (-0.0748) value systems suggest varied psychological responses across the spiral.


Implications for Evolving Healthcare Messaging


The article chronicles a shift from fear-based campaigns toward empowerment and behavioral strategies, noting how psychological frameworks like self-efficacy theory and social norm theory have informed this evolution. The SDTEST® data supports the efficacy of this shift by demonstrating relatively low fear ratings for HIV/AIDS despite its historical stigma. This suggests that destigmatizing, empowering messaging approaches may have successfully normalized the condition in public consciousness.


The varying correlations between fears and Spiral Dynamics stages also validate the article's emphasis on intersectionality and tailored messaging. Different value systems appear to process disease threats through distinct psychological frameworks, which has significant implications for public health communication. The article notes that "campaigns are now much more carefully designed to address diverse populations," which aligns with the need to consider value system diversity in designing effective interventions.


Advancing Psychologically Informed Healthcare Communications


The relatively weak correlation between disease fears and specific Spiral Dynamics stages (with the critical value of the correlation coefficient for a normal distribution, by William Sealy Gosset (Student) r = 0.0323) suggests that fears of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 transcend value systems but manifest differently within them. This finding supports the article's conclusion that messaging must "remain effective, compassionate, and mindful of nuance." The positive correlation between HIV/AIDS fears and Orange thinking, contrasted with COVID-19's positive correlation with Green thinking, demonstrates how different diseases activate different value concerns.


The article's discussion of digital and social media platforms as vectors for modern healthcare messaging presents opportunities for even more targeted value-specific communications. Understanding the psychological frameworks through which different Spiral Dynamics stages process health information could enable micro-targeted campaigns that resonate more effectively with diverse audiences. For instance, messaging aimed at Orange-dominant thinkers might emphasize personal agency and achievement in health management, while Green-focused messaging might highlight community protection and collective responsibility.


Conclusion


The evolution of HIV/AIDS messaging described in the article reflects a sophisticated understanding of psychological principles, moving from protection-motivation theory toward self-efficacy and social norm approaches. The SDTEST® data validates this progression by showing relatively modest contemporary fear responses to HIV/AIDS despite its historical stigmatization. The correlation patterns between disease fears and Spiral Dynamics stages provide valuable insights for further refining healthcare communications to resonate with different value systems.


The comparative data between HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 fears, particularly their different correlation patterns with Spiral Dynamics stages, suggests that disease characteristics interact with value systems to produce distinct psychological responses. As the article argues, effective healthcare campaigns must continue to evolve based on evidence rather than prejudice. The SDTEST® data offers this evidence, demonstrating how fears of specific conditions correlate with different psychological frameworks and value systems.


This integration of fear psychology, mathematical correlation, and Spiral Dynamics theory provides a robust foundation for developing increasingly sophisticated, psychologically informed healthcare messaging strategies that can effectively engage diverse populations across the spiral of human development.



Sources

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomas-campbell-40202785/
[2] https://www.bps.org.uk/blog/towards-more-inclusive-and-empowering-healthcare-campaigns


2025.02.28
Valerii kosenko
Vlasnik proizvoda SaaS SDTEST®

Valerii je 1993. godine stekao zvanje socijalnog pedagoga-psihologa i od tada svoje znanje primjenjuje u upravljanju projektima.
Valerii je 2013. stekao magisterij i kvalifikaciju voditelja projekta i programa. Tijekom magistarskog programa upoznao se s Planom projekta (GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement e. V.) i Spiralnom dinamikom.
Valerii je autor istraživanja neizvjesnosti V.U.C.A. koncept koji koristi Spiralnu dinamiku i matematičku statistiku u psihologiji, te 38 međunarodnih anketa.
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Bok tamo! Dopustite mi da vas pitam, da li ste već upoznati sa spiralnom dinamikom?