No abstract

Fear of cancer is positively associated with cancer information acquisition and avoiding behaviour. This suggests that fear of cancer predicts different behaviours in different individuals.

No abstract

These results suggest that television news may be an effective means for health education.

Acquiring stem cell research information, both intentionally and unintentionally, is positively related to stem cell research knowledge and perspectives. Future research should further identify ways to promote health information acquisition behaviour because it is associated with better knowledge and more positive opinion formation.

Few studies have explored the impact of mass media on fear of cancer levels. This study investigates whether television and Internet use are associated with fear of cancer, and whether this association is different for cancer diagnosed and nondiagnosed individuals. A quantitative, standardized survey was used and administered to 2008 respondents in Flanders (Belgium), of which 621 individuals were diagnosed with cancer. For statistical analyses, hierarchical regression analyses, independent samples T-tests and post hoc mediation analyses were conducted. The results indicated that cancer diagnosed individuals differed from nondiagnosed individuals in terms of perceived cancer susceptibility, perceived cancer severity, fear of cancer, and media use. Furthermore, television exposure was directly and positively related to fear of cancer, whereas Internet use was not. The relationship between television and Internet use and fear of cancer was not different for cancer diagnosed and nondiagnosed individuals. Additional post hoc mediation analyses, however, seemed to suggest that watching more television and surfing more on the Internet could both lead to having a more negative perceived health and this was in turn associated with higher fear of cancer. To help reduce the burden of fear of cancer, cancer educators and individuals working with cancer patients need to be aware of the possible negative effects media use might have on health perception and on the levels of fear of cancer.

Watching semi-explicit television is related to reduced fear of getting AIDS.

These results indicate that higher levels of television exposure coincide with less cancer knowledge and with less healthy lifestyle choices. It offers a pathway for intervention by suggesting that improving cancer knowledge through television might positively affect lifestyle choices.