Cancer Fatalism in the Information Age: A Meta-Analysis of Communicative and Behavioral Correlates

Chen, Minyi; Kim, Hye Kyung

doi:10.1177/00936502231205735

Communication Research

2023

DOI: 10.1177/00936502231205735

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Cancer Fatalism in the Information Age: A Meta-Analysis of Communicative and Behavioral Correlates

Minyi Chen,

Hye Kyung Kim

Abstract: Cancer information in the media often contains ambiguous, conflicting, or contestable knowledge, which may lead to the cultivation of cancer fatalism. Many believe cancer fatalism poses a significant barrier to cancer prevention and detection behaviors in the population. This meta-analysis synthesized empirical results from 100 studies regarding the associations between cancer fatalism and four categories of communicative and behavioral correlates: (a) media exposure, (b) cancer beliefs, (c) cancer prevention … Show more

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2024

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Cited by 3 publications

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Cancer fatalism, social media informational awareness, and education

Stimpson,

Park,

Rodriguez

et al. 2024

Cancer Causes Control

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Cancer fatalism, social media informational awareness, and education

Stimpson,

Park,

Rodriguez

et al. 2024

Cancer Causes Control

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Relationship Between Fatalistic Cancer Beliefs and Risky Health Behaviors

Zaidi,

Sarkar,

Arakelyan

et al. 2024

West J Nurs Res

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Background: There is limited research on how fatalism influences risky health behaviors that are linked to higher cancer risks. This study investigates the relationship between risky health behaviors (tobacco smoking, electronic cigarette use, and heavy alcohol drinking) and fatalistic cancer beliefs while controlling for health care–related self-efficacy and sociodemographic and clinical factors among adults without a history of cancer. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycle 4. The study sample included noninstitutionalized adults (aged ≥18 years without a self-reported cancer history (n = 2464). The outcome variable was risky health behaviors comprised of tobacco smoking, electronic cigarette use, and heavy alcohol drinking. We combined these 3 risky behaviors into a binary variable (0, not having risky health behavior; 1, having ≥1 risky health behavior). The key independent variable was cancer fatalistic beliefs. We used descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Overall, 50% of the sample were women, 64.7% of participants self-identified as non-Hispanic White, 16.4% as Hispanic, and 10.6% as non-Hispanic Black. About 43% of participants reported having at least one risky health behavior. While holding all other factors constant, each unit increase in cancer fatalism score was associated with 30.0% higher odds of increased risky health behaviors (odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.62, P = .021) among adults without a history of cancer. Conclusion: By understanding the relationship between cancer-related fatalistic beliefs and risky health behaviors, cancer prevention outreach programs can be personalized to suit the unique needs of specific individuals and communities.

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Belief that Progress has Been Made in Curing Cancer Varies by Perception of Social Media Health Mis- and Disinformation, Education, Frequency of Social Media Use, and Healthcare System Trust: A Cross-Sectional Study

Stimpson,

Park,

Srivastava

et al. 2024

Cancer Control

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Objective This study explored the relationship between perceptions of health mis/disinformation on social media and belief that progress has been made in curing cancer. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional, retrospective data collected from 4246 adult social media users in the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6). The outcome variable was the belief in whether progress has been made in curing cancer. The primary predictor variable was the perception of health mis/disinformation on social media, categorized as ‘Substantial’ and ‘< Substantial’. We also examined whether the relationship varied by health care system trust, frequency of social media use, and education. The analysis controlled for demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Results Perception of substantial social media health mis- and disinformation was associated with a lower likelihood of believing progress has been made in curing cancer (odds ratios = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.59-0.94). Persons who perceived substantial social media health mis-and disinformation and had low trust in the health care system were less likely to believe progress has been made in curing cancer: 36% (95% CI: 28-45%). Persons who perceived substantial social media health mis-and disinformation and used social media less than daily were less likely to believe progress has been made in curing cancer: 44% (95% CI: 36-52%). Persons without a college degree who perceived substantial social media health mis-and disinformation were less likely to agree that progress has been made in curing cancer: 44% (95% CI: 39-50%). Conclusion Exposure to misinformation on social media may be associated with negative attitudes about advances in curing cancer, particularly among social media users with low trust in the health care system trust, less frequent social media users, or those without a college degree.

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Cancer Fatalism in the Information Age: A Meta-Analysis of Communicative and Behavioral Correlates

Cited by 3 publications

References 107 publications

Cancer fatalism, social media informational awareness, and education

Cancer fatalism, social media informational awareness, and education

Relationship Between Fatalistic Cancer Beliefs and Risky Health Behaviors

Belief that Progress has Been Made in Curing Cancer Varies by Perception of Social Media Health Mis- and Disinformation, Education, Frequency of Social Media Use, and Healthcare System Trust: A Cross-Sectional Study

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