Source Of Cancer Information Research Articles

Cancer Fatalism and Preferred Sources of Cancer Information: an Assessment Using 2012 HINTS Data.

Cancer fatalism is associated with lower participation in cancer screening, nonadherence to cancer screening guidelines, and avoidance of medical care. Few studies, however, have examined the relationship between cancer fatalism and health information seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between endorsement of fatalistic beliefs regarding cancer and preferred sources of cancer information. We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 2, which were collected in late 2012 and early 2013 (N=3630). When weighted, the data are representative of the non-institutionalized US population aged 18 or older. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, we assessed three cancer fatalism beliefs as predictors of preferred use of healthcare provider versus preferred use of the Internet for cancer information. Results indicate the majority of US adults endorse one or more fatalistic beliefs about cancer. Unadjusted results indicate endorsing the fatalistic belief that "there's not much you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer" was significantly associated with lower odds of preferring the Internet (versus healthcare providers) as the source of cancer information (OR: 0.70; CI: 0.50, 0.98). In the adjusted model, however, none of the three cancer fatalism measures were significantly associated with preferred source of cancer information. In conclusion, fatalistic beliefs about cancer are common, and further research is warranted to understand cancer fatalism and whether and how it may impact health information-seeking behaviors.

News Coverage of Cancer in Japanese Newspapers: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACTNewspapers could provide effective and comprehensive information about cancer to the public. The present study conducted a content analysis of cancer-related articles in Japanese newspapers published in 2011. In total, 5,314 articles were identified and subsequently coded. Coding variables included cancer type, the cancer continuum, and topic of articles mentioning cancer. Approximately half mentioned at least one specific type of cancer, with the focus mostly on lung, leukemia, and breast. Stomach and colon cancers, which have the highest morbidity, were relatively underreported. The continuum received little attention, and was mentioned in only 11% of articles. Treatment was the most frequently mentioned part of the continuum, with prevention and screening mentioned only rarely. The most frequently mentioned topic was social issues. The findings suggest that cancer-related articles were found regularly throughout the year, meaning that they might be one of the most important sources of cancer information. However, they are affected by social issues and there were some imbalances in both cancer type and continuum. Considering the influence of newspapers, it would be helpful for providing more effective and accurate information to the public if Japanese newspapers increased mentions of specific types of common cancers and the cancer continuum, especially prevention.

A Cross-sectional Investigation of Cancer-Screening Intentions, Sources of Information, and Understanding of Cancer in Japanese Adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to describe the cancer-screening intention, sources of cancer information, and cancer understanding among Japanese adolescents. A cross-sectional nationwide survey involving a self-administered questionnaire was conducted. Response rates of the target schools were 46.4 % (n = 103) for junior high schools and 55.8 % (n = 116) for high schools. From these, we analyzed the data of 2960 junior high school students (1520 males, 1440 females) and 3703 high school students (1546 males, 2157 females) to examine the association between cancer-screening intention and sources of cancer-related information and understanding. A significant association between cancer-screening intention and sources of cancer information and cancer understanding was observed. The screening intention group identified more sources of cancer information than the no-screening intention group did. Understanding about cancer was reported by a higher proportion of students in the screening intention group compared with the no-screening intention group. Recognition that healthy people must take part in cancer screening was significantly associated with screening intention in both junior high (odds ratio (OR), 1.859; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.582-2.185; P < 0.001) and high school (OR, 2.485; 95% CI, 2.139-2.887; P < 0.001) students. Health education at school was indicated by a high proportion of students as a source of cancer-related information, although the association was not significant. The present survey indicated that those in of our sample who intended to undergo future cancer screening (67.8 %) had more sources of information and understanding regarding cancer. Thus, schools should enrich health education curricula with more information and understanding about cancer to promote cancer-screening intention among Japanese adolescents.

An Initial Look at the Associations of a Variety of Health-Related Online Activities With Cancer Fatalism

ABSTRACTIt has been an important public health goal to remove cancer fatalism because of its negative influence on both cancer screening and preventive behaviors. The present study examines roles of the Internet, as an emerging, crucial source of cancer information, in the effect of education on cancer fatalism. Based on our secondary analysis of a nationally representative survey (i.e., Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 1), we found that people with low levels of education are less likely than their more educated counterparts to engage in online health information seeking that is negatively linked to fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention. In addition, the effect of education on online health information seeking was detected only among people who trust online health information. The implications of these findings for cancer control and for research on the digital divide and communication inequalities are discussed.

Patient-provider communication with HIV-positive women about abnormal Pap test results

ABSTRACTIn this article, the authors examine communication between women living with human immunodeficiency virus (WLH) and health care providers (HCPs) regarding abnormal Pap tests. During the period of March 2011 through April 2012, 145 WLH were recruited from Ryan White funded clinics and community-based AIDS service organizations located in the southeastern United States. WLH who had an abnormal Pap test (69%, n = 100/145) were asked if their HCP shared and explained information about abnormal Pap tests. The authors performed chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses using Stata I/C 13. HCPs shared information about abnormal Pap tests with 60% of participants, and explained the information they shared to 78% of those. Health literate participants were more than three times as likely to have read the information received about abnormal Pap tests (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19–10.23), and almost five times as likely to have understood the cancer information they read (aOR = 4.70, 95% CI 1.55–14.24). Knowing other women who had had an abnormal Pap test was not significantly associated with cancer information seeking or processing after controlling for confounding factors. The present findings underscore the need to increase WLH’s health literacy as an intermediate step to improving patient–provider communication among WLH. Lay sources of cancer information for WLH warrant further study.

The Source and Credibility of Colorectal Cancer Information on Twitter.

Despite the rapid penetration of social media in modern life, there has been limited research conducted on whether social media serves as a credible source of health information. In this study, we propose to identify colorectal cancer information on Twitter and assess its informational credibility.We collected Twitter messages containing colorectal cancer-related keywords, over a 3-month period. A review of sample tweets yielded content and user categorization schemes. The results of the sample analysis were applied to classify all collected tweets and users, using a machine learning technique. The credibility of the information in the sampled tweets was evaluated.A total of 76,119 tweets were analyzed. Individual users authored the majority of tweets (n = 68,982, 90.6%). They mostly tweeted about news articles/research (n = 16,761, 22.0%) and risk/prevention (n = 14,767, 19.4%). Medical professional users generated only 2.0% of total tweets (n = 1509), and medical institutions rarely tweeted (n = 417, 0.6%). Organizations tended to tweet more about information than did individuals (85.2% vs 63.1%; P < 0.001). Credibility analysis of medically relevant sample tweets revealed that most were medically correct (n = 1763, 84.5%). Among those, more frequently retweeted tweets contained more medically correct information than randomly selected tweets (90.7% vs 83.2%; P < 0.01).Our results demonstrate an interest in and an engagement with colorectal cancer information from a large number and variety of users. Coupled with the Internet's potential to increase social support, Twitter may contribute to enhancing public health and empowering users, when used with proper caution.

Association of Knowledge and Cultural Perceptions of Malaysian Women with Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer: a Systematic Review.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality among women of all ethnic and age groups in Malaysia. Delay in seeking help for breast cancer symptoms is preventable and by identifying possible factors for delayed diagnosis, patient prognosis and survival rates could be improved. This narrative review aimed to understand and evaluate the level of in-depth breast cancer knowledge in terms of clinical breast examination and breast self-examination, and other important aspects such as side-effects and risk factors in Malaysian females. Since Malaysia is multicultural, this review assessed social perceptions, cultural beliefs and help-seeking behaviour in respect to breast cancer among different ethnic groups, since these may impinge on efforts to 'avoid' the disease. A comprehensive literature search of seven databases was performed from December 2015 to January 2015. Screening of relevant published journals was also undertaken to identify available information related to the knowledge, perception and help-seeking behaviour of Malaysian women in relation to breast cancer. A total of 42 articles were appraised and included in this review. Generally, women in Malaysia had good awareness of breast cancer and its screening tools, particularly breast self-examination, but only superficial in-depth knowledge about the disease. Women in rural areas had lower levels of knowledge than those in urban areas. It was also shown that books, magazines, brochures and television were among the most common sources of breast cancer information. Delay in presentation was attributed mainly to a negative social perception of the disease, poverty, cultural and religion practices, and a strong influence of complementary and alternative medicine, rather than a lack of knowledge. This review highlighted the need for an intensive and in-depth breast cancer education campaigns using media and community health programmes, even with the existing good awareness of breast cancer. This is essential in order to avoid misconceptions and to frame the correct mind-set about breast cancer among women in Malaysia. Socio-cultural differences and religious practices should be taken into account by health care professionals when advising on breast cancer. Women need to be aware of the risk factors and symptoms of breast cancer so that early diagnosis can take place and the chances of survival improved.

Using a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Collect Hopi Breast Cancer Survivors' Stories

The Hopi Tribe’s reservation is located in northern Arizona, spreading over four thousand square miles (fig. 1).1 The Hopi live in twelve villages located on three separate mesas known as First, Second, and Third Mesas. Most of the villages are located between five to thirty minutes of one another. The nearest city off-reservation is Flagstaff, which is a one-and-a-half to two-hour drive for most Hopi reservation residents. According to the Hopi Women’s Health Program (HWHP), the Hopi Tribe has 12,442 enrolled members, with 5,143 of those members living off the reservation. Approximately one thousand nonHopis live on tribal lands; they work on the reservation and/or are married into the tribe.2 The HWHP is the primary source of cancer information for the Hopi. The HWHP, in collaboration with Indian Health Service (IHS), provides education, information, and

Online cancer information seeking increases cancer worry

This study explored the effects of online cancer information seeking on cancer worry, which has been found to promote cancer screening. Although health information seeking models have used worry as a determinant of information seeking, the present study sought to demonstrate the reverse causality to show the psychological impact of the Internet in the health context. Study 1 (N=308), a cross-sectional survey, recruited U.S. participants using Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowd-sourcing online marketplace, and detected a positive association between online cancer information seeking from professional health-related websites and cancer worry. To establish the causality, Study 2 (N=1130 at Wave 1 and 813 at Wave 2), a two-wave survey about stomach cancer in South Korea, was conducted. The results showed that online cancer information seeking from online news at Wave 1 increased cancer worry at Wave 2. Although the sources of cancer information seeking associated with cancer worry were different in Study 1 (professional health-related websites) and Study 2 (online news), the results were consistent in that each was the main source of cancer information for Study 1 and Study 2 participants, respectively. The findings suggested that online cancer information seeking from these frequently used sources can increase cancer worry, which plays a positive role in cancer prevention.

Cancer Information-Seeking Practices Among the Hispanic Population: Data From the Health Information National Trends Survey 2007.

Hispanic people are less likely to seek cancer information and experience more health care barriers than non-Hispanic people. The purpose of this work was to identify cancer information-seeking practices among U. S. Hispanic adults and identify demographic characteristics associated with information selected. Data from 622 Hispanic participants in the Health Information National Trends Survey 2007 were analyzed. Results of this study indicated that the leading sources of cancer information came from the Internet (47%, n = 105), followed by health care providers (26%, n = 60). As educational level increased, Internet use for cancer information-seeking increased from 20.7% (n = 6) to 60.6% (n = 40). These data indicate a necessity to improve information delivery strategies tailored to this group.

Observatorio Nacional de Cáncer Colombia

En Colombia el cáncer es un problema de salud pública en aumento, que representa grandes repercusiones psicoafectivas, sociales y económicas imponiendo un reto para el sistema de salud. Según las estadísticas del Globocan, para Colombia en el año 2012, aproximadamente 104 personas fallecieron cada día por esta enfermedad y 196 personas enfermaron de cáncer. Esto exige generar intervenciones oportunas, eficaces y articuladas para promover los factores protectores, aumentar la detección temprana, reducir la discapacidad y mortalidad evitables, mejorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes afectados, así como asegurar un desempeño costo-efectivo del sistema sanitario. Aunque se presentan unas cifras breves para revisar el panorama del cáncer en el país, no es el propósito de este artículo proporcionar información estadística que ya se encuentra disponible en el Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INC), el Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) y los registros poblacionales de cáncer en el país. En su lugar, este artículo describe de forma general los avances y desarrollos del Observatorio Nacional de Cáncer (ONC) Colombia en el marco del Sistema de Información Nacional en Cáncer SINCan, puntualizando las fuentes de información en cáncer disponibles en sispro, el set de indicadores para monitorear el panorama en el país, los planes de análisis y las salidas de información (canales de acceso y divulgación de la evidencia y publicaciones relevantes) como herramientas necesarias para gestionar adecuadamente el conocimiento sobre mortalidad, morbilidad, acceso a servicios y acciones para reducir las desigualdades en cáncer en Colombia.

Cancer Information Seeking Behaviors of Korean American Women: A Mixed-Methods Study Using Surveys and Focus Group Interviews

Despite the high risk of cancer to the population, Korean Americans are known to have lower knowledge about cancer related information and a lower level of adherence to cancer prevention guidelines. This indicates the necessity of cancer interventions targeting the Korean American population. To reach this population effectively, it is imperative to understand Korean Americans’ cancer information seeking behaviors. This study (a) identified cancer information sources that are trusted and used by Korean American women and (b) examined how general media exposure and trust in cancer information sources are related to the use of these sources. It also (c) explored perceived usefulness and limitations of cancer information sources. A mixed methods study using seven focus group interviews with 34 Korean American women and surveys with 152 Korean American women was conducted in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area from 2011 to 2012. The results indicate that Korean American women viewed health care professionals as the most trusted cancer information source but used the Internet and Korean ethnic media more often for cancer information seeking because of language, cultural, and economic barriers. Korean American women were most likely to obtain cancer information from media they used frequently for general purposes. Correlations between usage frequency and trust in doctor/health providers and the Internet as cancer information sources were negligible. When seeking cancer information, important factors for Korean American women were accessibility, affordability, and language proficiency, cultural sensitivity, meeting immediate needs, understandability, convenience, and reliability of cancer information sources. Findings from this study support developing interventions using Korean language media, including print, television and the Internet for health promotion and cancer prevention targeting Korean American women.

Coverage of Skin Cancer Risk Factors and UV Behaviors in Popular U.S. Magazines from 2000 to 2012.

Mass media is an influential source of skin cancer and tanning information for the public, but we know little about its content or emphasis. The objective of this research was to describe the volume and nature of skin cancer and tanning messages in 20 popular U.S. men's and women's magazines (2000-2012). We used a directed content analysis to determine frequency information about risk factors and ultraviolet (UV) behaviors in 608 articles and 930 images. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests determined coverage differences based on content type (text vs. image) and target audience (women vs. men). UV exposure was the most common risk factor mentioned (37.7%) and sunscreen use the most common behavior encouraged (60.0%); information about other risk factors and protective behaviors was uncommon. Both articles (25.2%) and images (36.9%) promoted the tanned look as attractive. In most cases, images infrequently contained helpful information on skin cancer risk factors and prevention, except for high-SPF sunscreens. Women's magazines published more articles on skin cancer and tanning than men's magazines (456 vs. 159, χ(2) = 143.43, P < .01), and the nature of the messages differed between them. Magazine skin cancer and tanning content may contribute to inaccurate public understanding of risks and prevention. These findings are relevant to cancer educators, who may wish to counter potentially harmful messages and enhance positive ones through cancer education efforts.

Cancer-Related Information Seeking Among Cancer Survivors: Trends Over a Decade (2003-2013).

The demonstrated benefits of information seeking for cancer patients, coupled with increases in information availability, underscore the importance of monitoring patient information seeking experiences over time. We compared information seeking among cancer survivors to those with a family history of cancer and those with no history of cancer. We identified characteristics associated with greater information seeking among cancer survivors, key sources of cancer-related information, and changes in information source use over time. Data from five iterations of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) spanning 2003 to 2013 were merged and analyzed. Frequencies, cross-tabulations, multivariate logistic regression, and multinomial regression analyses were conducted. All data were weighted to provide representative estimates of the adult US population. Cancer information seeking was reported most frequently by cancer survivors (69.8 %). The percentage of cancer survivors who reported information seeking increased from 66.8 % in 2003 to 80.8 % in 2013. Cancer information seeking was independently associated with age, education, and income; seeking was less likely among older adults, those with less education, and those with lower incomes. Compared to respondents in 2003, those in 2005 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.40, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.24-0.65) and 2008 (OR = .43, 95 % CI = 0.26-0.70) were about half as likely to use the Internet as the first source of cancer information compared to a healthcare provider. Despite overall increases in cancer information seeking and access to health information from a variety of sources, healthcare providers remain a key source of health information for cancer survivors.

Coverage of skin cancer and recreational tanning in North American magazines before and after the landmark 2006 International Agency for Research on Cancer report.

BackgroundSkin cancer is an increasingly important global public health problem. Mass media is a key source of skin cancer information. We examined how media coverage of skin cancer has changed over time as a consequence of the release of a key public health report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2006, which linked ultraviolet (UV) radiation from indoor tanning and skin cancer.MethodsA directed content analysis of skin cancer and tanning coverage in 29 popular North American magazines (2001–2012) examined reporting of skin cancer risk factors, UV behaviors, and early detection in article text (n = 761) and images (n = 1267). Chi-square and correlational analyses were used determine whether coverage changed in relation to the 2006 IARC report.ResultsThe total volume of articles about skin cancer and tanning increased modestly after the IARC report (χ2 = 4.57, df = 1, p < .05); however, key IARC report messages (e.g., avoid indoor tanning, UV as a risk factor) were no more likely to be reported after compared to before the report. There were virtually no changes in the percentage of coverage for both risk factors and early detection information over time. There were some changes in the percentage of coverage about UV behaviors after the IARC report, but these variables were not directly related to the report. Magazines were more likely to encourage sunscreen use (χ2 = 11.55, df = 1, p < .01) and less likely to promote the tanned look as attractive (χ2 = 9.72, df = 1, p < .01) after the IARC report. It also became less common for magazines to promote sun avoidance (χ2 = 6.82, df = 1, p < .01) and use of sunless tanners (χ2 = 7.46, df = 1, p < .01) after the report.ConclusionsDespite a modest increase in volume of coverage post-IARC report, key messages from the report were not taken up by the media. While there have been some improvements in magazine reporting, there is a need for more effective dissemination of public health messages about skin cancer and tanning.

Extraction and analysis of discrete synoptic pathology report data using R

Background: Synoptic pathology reports can serve as a rich source of cancer information, particularly when the content is available as discrete electronic data fields. Our institution generates such reports as part of a province wide program in Ontario but the resulting data is not easily extracted and analyzed at the local level. Methods: A low cost system was developed using the open sourced and freely available R scripting/data analysis environment to parse synoptic report results into a dataframe and perform basic summary statistics. Results: As a pilot project text reports from 427 prostate needle biopsies were successfully read into R and the data elements split out and converted into appropriated data classes for analysis. Conclusion: This approach provides a simple solution at minimal cost that can make discrete synoptic report data readily available for quality assurance and research activities.

North American Magazine Coverage of Skin Cancer and Recreational Tanning Before and After the WHO/IARC 2009 Classification of Indoor Tanning Devices as Carcinogenic.

The mass media is an influential source of skin cancer information for the public. In 2009, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified UV radiation from tanning devices as carcinogenic. Our objective was to determine if media coverage of skin cancer and recreational tanning increased in volume or changed in nature after this classification. We conducted a directed content analysis on 29 North American popular magazines (2007-2012) to investigate the overall volume of articles on skin cancer and recreational tanning and, more specifically, the presence of skin cancer risk factors, UV behaviors, and early detection information in article text (n = 410) and images (n = 714). The volume of coverage on skin cancer and recreational tanning did not increase significantly after the 2009 classification of tanning beds as carcinogenic. Key-related messages, including that UV exposure is a risk factor for skin cancer and that indoor tanning should be avoided, were not reported more frequently after the classification, but the promotion of the tanned look as attractive was conveyed more often in images afterwards (p < .01). Content promoting high-SPF sunscreen use increased after the classification (p < .01), but there were no significant positive changes in the frequency of coverage of skin cancer risk factors, other UV behaviors, or early detection information over time. The classification of indoor tanning beds as carcinogenic had no significant impact on the volume or nature of skin cancer and recreational tanning coverage in magazines.

Information needs and sources of information for patients during cancer follow-up.

Now more than ever, cancer patients want health information. Little has been published to characterize the information needs and preferred sources of that information for patients who have completed cancer treatment. We used a nationally validated instrument to prospectively survey patients attending a cancer clinic for a post-treatment follow-up visit. All patients who came to the designated clinics between December 2011 and June 2012 were approached (N = 648), and information was collected only from those who agreed to proceed. The 411 patients who completed the instrument included individuals with a wide range of primary malignancies. Their doctor or health professional was overwhelmingly the most trusted source of cancer information, followed by the Internet, family, and friends. The least trusted sources of information included radio, newspaper, and television. Patients most preferred to receive personalized written information from their health care provider. Cancer survivors are keenly interested in receiving information about cancer, despite having undergone or finished active therapy. The data indicate that, for patients, their health care provider is the most trusted source of cancer information. Cancer providers should ask patients about the information they want and should direct them to trusted sources.

Breast cancer prevention knowledge, beliefs, and information sources between non-Hispanic and Hispanic college women for risk reduction focus.

Although growing research focuses on breast cancer screenings, little is known about breast cancer prevention with risk reduction awareness for ethnic differences among college-age women. This study examined breast cancer prevention knowledge, beliefs, and information sources between non-Hispanic and Hispanic college women. Using a cross-sectional study, women at a university in the Southwest completed a 51-item survey about breast cancer risk factors, beliefs, and media and interpersonal information sources. The study was guided by McGuire's Input Output Persuasion Model. Of the 546 participants, non-Hispanic college women (n=277) and Hispanic college women (n=269) reported similar basic knowledge levels of modifiable breast cancer risk factors for alcohol consumption (52%), obesity (72%), childbearing after age 35 (63%), and menopausal hormone therapy (68%) using bivariate analyses. Most common information sources were Internet (75%), magazines (69%), provider (76%) and friends (61%). Least common sources were radio (44%), newspapers (34%), and mothers (36%). Non-Hispanic college women with breast cancer family history were more likely to receive information from providers, friends, and mothers. Hispanic college women with a breast cancer family history were more likely to receive information from their mothers. Breast cancer prevention education for college women is needed to include risk reduction for modifiable health behavior changes as a new focus. Health professionals may target college women with more information sources including the Internet or apps.

Current Knowledge and Perceptions of Cancer Held by African American Seniors in the District of Columbia

BackgroundCancer is a disease that is perceived negatively, especially in the African American community. Cultural attitudes, beliefs, and the lack of relevant health information all play a role in the extent of the negative perceptions of this multifaceted disease.PurposeTo conduct a qualitative assessment of the perceptions of cancer of African American senior citizens in the District of Columbia.MethodsFollowing a literature review on the knowledge and perceptions of cancer held by African Americans over 55 years of age living in Washington, DC, 4 focus groups were conducted, one from each of the 4 quadrants of the city, to determine the participants' (1) basic knowledge of cancer; (2) source(s) of cancer information; (3) beliefs and perceptions about cancer; and (4) suggestions of motivating activities that are likely to induce healthier lifestyles.Results and ConclusionResults indicated that the majority of the participants perceived that cancer always produces a negative outcome. Many identified that their sources of cancer information came from family and friends; others indicated that information was acquired from physicians, health-related reading materials, or other media streamed devices (Internet, television, etc.). Based on the data gathered, the intervention most likely to promote changes in lifestyles would be a featured activity that provided knowledge on cancer with recommended lifestyle changes and constant reinforcements (e.g., calendars, a support partner).Translation to Health Education PracticeParticipants in each of the focus groups requested that the healthy living featured activity and a subsequent intervention involving proper health care practices take place at the same sites where the focus groups were held.