Reduced Fatalism and Increased Prevention Behavior After Two High-Profile Lung Cancer Events

Abstract

The positive impact of media coverage of high-profile cancer events on cancer prevention behaviors is well-established. However, less work has focused on potential adverse psychological reactions to such events, such as fatalism. Conducting 3 studies, the authors explored how the lung cancer death of Peter Jennings and diagnosis of Dana Reeve in 2005 related to fatalism. Analysis of a national media sample in Study 1 found that media coverage of these events often focused on reiterating the typical profile of those diagnosed with lung cancer; 38% of the media mentioned at least 1 known risk factor for lung cancer, most often smoking. Data from a nationally representative survey in Study 2 found that respondents reported lower lung cancer fatalism, after, compared with before, the events (OR = 0.16, 95% CI [0.03, 0.93]). A sustained increase in call volume to the national tobacco Quitline after these events was found in Study 3. These results suggest that there is a temporal association between high-profile cancer events, the subsequent media coverage, psychological outcomes, and cancer prevention behaviors. These results suggest that high-profile cancer events could be leveraged as an opportunity for large-scale public heath communication campaigns through the dissemination of cancer prevention messages and services.

Media Exposure, Cancer Beliefs, and Cancer-Related Information-Seeking or Avoidance Behavior Patterns in China

“…Past research has found that media exposure—including exposure to health information via newspaper, television, the Internet, and other media sources—can facilitate cancer information seeking [ 27 , 79 , 109 ]. However, previous studies have focused on the impact of media content and framing on health information-seeking behavior [ 25 ] rather than the impact of different types of media exposure on information-seeking behavior.…”

Perceived Ambiguity, Fatalism, and Believing Cancer Is More Prevalent Than Heart Disease

“…In most subpopulations, heart disease incidence is higher than cancer incidence, 1 yet laypeople may think the reverse given extensive cancer exposure 2 such as the “pink ribbon” campaign and celebrity deaths (e.g., Peter Jennings 3 ). People often overestimate their own cancer risk 4 and thus may also overestimate its relative prevalence.…”