Sociodemographic Characteristics, Health Beliefs, and the Accuracy of Cancer Knowledge

Abstract

Background Recent studies have found that knowledge about cancer prevention and treatment differs across ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, which could directly impact our decisions to engage in protective health behaviors. In this study, we examined sociodemographic-based differences in cancer knowledge and health beliefs and examined differences in the accuracy of the cancer knowledge based on health beliefs. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were conducted between July 1995 and March 2004 on adult, healthy, cancer-free control participants (N = 2074; 50% male) enrolled into a molecular epidemiological case-control study. Most were non-Hispanic white, 14% were African American, and 8% were Hispanic. Participants were personally interviewed on 6 items assessing health beliefs and 10 items assessing cancer knowledge. Results Unadjusted differences in cancer knowledge were observed by gender, age, ethnicity, household income, educational attainment, and smoking status. After adjusting for the other sociodemographic characteristics, women had more accurate knowledge than men, the accuracy of knowledge increased with higher educational attainment and annual household income, and never smokers had more accurate knowledge than ever smokers (P < .01 for all). Moreover, accurate cancer knowledge was associated with protective health beliefs; eg, the belief that changing health habits was worthwhile was associated with more accurate knowledge. Conclusions Results emphasize the need to develop health education programs that enhance cancer knowledge among individuals of low SES and foster protective health beliefs.

Knowledge and Beliefs about Smoking and Cancer among Women in Five European Countries

“…Rutten and colleagues found that respondents with lower levels of income and education lacked adequate knowledge and appropriate beliefs about smoking and cancer (20). Consistent with another study, knowledge about smoking increased with higher educational achievement and annual household income (39).…”

“…Low socioeconomic status was associated with lower knowledge scores (38)(39)(40)(41). Rutten and colleagues found that respondents with lower levels of income and education lacked adequate knowledge and appropriate beliefs about smoking and cancer (20).…”

Association of cutaneous melanoma incidence with area-based socioeconomic indicators–United States, 2004-2006

“…8,9,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] Similar findings have emerged from international research conducted in Australia and Sweden. 13,20 Complicating our understanding of SES and melanoma epidemiology is the complex relationship among socioeconomic factors, environmental risk factors, sun-exposure behavior, 21 awareness of melanoma prevention, access to primary care and melanoma screening, [22][23][24] and potential variation in ultraviolet (UV) exposure related to differences in outdoor recreation and leisure, 25 a product of SES itself. Intensive research efforts focusing on all aspects of melanoma are vital to reducing the incidence and mortality associated with the disease.…”

Men, Food, and Prostate Cancer: Gender Influences on Men’s Diets

“…American men are less likely than women to have knowledge of and adopt cancer preventive health behaviors, including reducing dietary fat intake and maintaining healthy body weights (Wilkinson, Vasudevan, Honn, Spitz, & Chamberlain, 2009). Overall, American and British men are more likely to suffer from and die of most types of cancer than are women (Cancer Research UK, 2009;Jemal et al, 2009).…”