From sweeteners to cell phones-Cancer myths and beliefs among journalism undergraduates.

Publisher: Wiley Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9301979 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1365-2354 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09615423 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl)

Publication: <1992- > : Oxford : Wiley
Original Publication: London : [Marston Book Services], 1991-

Consumer Health Information* ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice* ; Journalism* ; Mass Media* ; Neoplasms* ; Students*; Adolescent ; Attitude ; Cell Phone ; Family ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sweetening Agents ; Universities ; Young Adult

Objective: The media are an important source of health information that can help people make their own medical decisions. However, medical news can also transmit biases produced by different factors, such as the previously held beliefs of journalists. This study identifies which cancer myths are more popular among future journalists and whether their beliefs are related to their chosen source of health information.
Methods: A survey was conducted among journalism undergraduates (N = 249) to determine which cancer myths existed and how widespread they were. The survey included a list with different sources of health information and eight questions regarding cancer-related myths.
Results: The most extensive myths among the undergraduate respondents were that sweeteners (40.2%) and cell phones (48.2%) produce cancer and that a patient's good or bad attitude can determine the outcome of such an illness (52.2%). Respondents who relied on their family and friends as a source of health information were more prone to believe in cancer myths.
Conclusion: This research focuses on future journalists as a group of special interest for improving knowledge about cancer. Future campaigns to debunk cancer misconceptions should pay attention to the role played by family and friends as agents of health information transmittance.
(© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

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FFI2017-85227-R Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness

Keywords: cancer knowledge; cancer misconceptions; cancer myths; health information; journalism education; journalists’ beliefs; science communication

0 (Sweetening Agents)

Date Created: 20191005 Date Completed: 20201116 Latest Revision: 20201116

20231215

10.1111/ecc.13180

31583776