An examination of Australian newspaper coverage of the link between alcohol and cancer 2005 to 2013

Abstract

BackgroundAlcohol is a Class-1 carcinogen but public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer is low. The news media is a popular, readily-accessible source of health information and plays a key role in shaping public opinion and influencing policy-makers. Examination of how the link between alcohol and cancer is presented in Australian print media could inform public health advocacy efforts to raise awareness of this modifiable cancer risk factor.MethodThis study provides a summative qualitative content analysis of 1502 articles that included information about a link between alcohol and cancer, as reported within Australian newspaper media (2005–2013). We use descriptive statistics to examine the prominence of reports, the nature and content of claims regarding the link between alcohol and cancer, and the source of information noted in each article.ResultsArticles were distributed throughout newspapers, most appearing within the main (first) section. The link between alcohol and cancer tended not to appear early in articles, and rarely featured in headlines. 95% of articles included a claim that alcohol causes cancer, 5% that alcohol prevented or did not cause cancer, 1% included both. Generally, the amount of alcohol that would cause or prevent cancer was unspecified or open to subjective interpretation. Coverage increased over time, primarily within community/free papers. The claim that alcohol causes cancer often named a specific cancer, did not name a specific alcohol, was infrequently the focus of articles (typically subsumed within an article on general health issues), and cited various health-promoting (including advocacy) organisations as information sources. Articles that included the converse also tended not to focus on that point, often named a specific type of alcohol, and most cited research institutions or generic ‘research’ as sources. Half of all articles involved repetition of materials, and most confirmed that alcohol caused cancer.ConclusionsInformation about a link between alcohol and cancer is available in the Australian newsprint media, but may be hidden within and thus overshadowed by other health-related stories. Strategic collaboration between health promoting organisations, and exploitation of ‘churnalism’ and journalists’ preferences for ready-made ‘copy’ may facilitate increased presence and accuracy of the alcohol-cancer message.

Awareness of cancer risk factors and protective factors among Australian adults

“…Recent evidence suggests that the alcohol industry has routinely employed tactics to obfuscate the association between alcohol and cancer risk, including downplaying or denying the association between alcohol and cancer, and claiming that alcohol may confer a protective effect on cancer risk . The representation of alcohol in popular media may also play a role in informing public awareness of alcohol as a cancer risk factor; a recent study of Australian newspaper coverage of the link between alcohol and cancer reported that red wine was the most frequently cited beverage type among articles claiming that alcohol prevents or does not cause cancer …”

“…Similarly, the World Cancer Research Fund's Continuous Update Project designates dietary and physical activity preventive factors as having strong or limited evidence for decreased or increased cancer risk, with categories that include convincing, probable, limited–suggestive, limited–no conclusion, and “substantial effect on risk unlikely.” Given the complex process of establishing and communicating carcinogenicity, it is perhaps unsurprising that the present study found numerous misconceptions about cancer risk and protective factors among respondents. Popular media may also play a role in perpetuating such misunderstandings, particularly where media stories present non‐evidence‐based claims about established cancer risk factors or preventive behaviours, or use single or laboratory‐based studies to make claims about the general population . It therefore remains an important challenge for public health organisations to distil the available evidence for cancer risk and protective factors into clear messages that can be readily comprehended and accessed by the general public.…”

Autoconcepto, Actividad Física Y Sustancias Nocivas: Un Modelo De Ecuaciones Estructurales

“…El consumo de alcohol y tabaco está socialmente aceptado en la sociedad, debido a que son drogas blandas o legales, aunque conllevan unos riesgos y efectos perjudiciales para la salud de extrema gravedad. En el caso del alcohol, según la OMS (2015) el consumo de esta sustancia provoca más de tres millones de muertes al año en todo el mundo, además de constituir un factor de riesgo a la hora de padecer diversas enfermedades y trastornos cardiovasculares como la cirrosis o el cáncer hepático, entre otros (Maurage, Joassin, Speth, Modave, Philippot y Campanella, 2012;Connor, 2017;Eliott, Forster, McDonough, Bowd y Crabb, 2017). El tabaco provoca según la OMS (2015) más se de seis millones de muertes al año en todo el mundo, duplicando al alcohol, además el consumo de esta sustancia se relaciona de forma directa con el padecimiento de enfermedades como el enfisema pulmonar, la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, diversas cardiopatías y el cáncer de pulmón (Haldorsen, Martinsen, Kjaerheim y Grimsrud, 2017;Vrana, Kern y Anderson, 2017).…”

Media Reporting on Air Pollution: Health risk and precautionary measures in national and regional newspapers

“…Collaboration in news media campaigns to increase media attention to diverse voices is therefore recommended [46]. Non-governmental groups such as health and environmental groups and academics and scientists should consider similar tactics to voice their concerns about air pollution.…”