Objective To investigate the impact of positive and negative cervical cancer screening science messages on screening preferences of gynecologic outpatients by using message framing effects to inform decision making to enhance science popularization efficacy as well as improve health screening behaviors of high-risk populations.

Methods From August 2023 to March 2024, we conducted discrete choice experiments with gynecologic outpatients from four hospitals in Minhang district of Shanghai. Participants were randomly assigned to either positive or negative massage intervention groups, with 221 participants in the positive group and 227 participants in the negative group ultimately included. The mixed logit model in STATA 16.0 was used for data analysis.

Results Both groups demonstrated positive preferences (β > 0) for public hospitals, female physicians, shorter screening intervals, and lower false-negative/positive rates. However, attribute prioritization and willingness-to-pay (WTP) differed substantially between groups: the positive group prioritized screening location (25.08%) over time interval (7.24%), while the negative group emphasized false-positive rate (22.41%) over pain perception (10.96%). Comparative analysis revealed higher WTP in the positive group for public hospitals, painless procedures, and female physicians, whereas the negative group showed greater WTP for annual screening, biennial screening, and protocols with 5% false-negative/positive rates.

Conclusions Message framing significantly impacts screening preferences, with negative framing emphasizing result accuracy and screening frequency, versus positive framing prioritizing procedural comfort. These findings advocate for differentiated science popularization strategies in health promotion campaigns.