Belén Sanz-Barbero1,2, María Eugenia Prieto1,3, Naiara Cambas3. 1. National School of Public Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. 2. CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. 3. AECC Cancer Observatory, Scientific Foundation Spanish Association Against Cancer, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is necessary to raise a positive attitude towards cancer information to improve disease prevention and control. OBJECTIVE: To identify social factors, health characteristics and cancer-related perceptions and knowledge associated with a positive attitude towards cancer information. DESIGN: We ran multivariate logistic regression models to analyse population-based data from OncoBarómetro-2010, a Spanish representative survey on perceptions and knowledge, related to cancer, conducted among 7938 people aged 18 years or more. MEASUREMENT: Attitudes towards cancer information. A positive attitude includes feeling motivated to keep informed, to have screening tests or to change lifestyle. A negative attitude includes feeling indifference, concern, frustration or fear. RESULTS: 38.3% of the studied population reported having received information related to cancer (within the last 6 months). Among those, 31.5% expressed a negative attitude towards cancer information. People more likely to have a positive attitude towards cancer information (reference category: negative attitude) were people aged 35-74 (ref: aged 18-34) (P < 0.001) and cancer survivors (ref: those who had not had cancer) (OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.73-5.38). The likelihood of a positive attitude increased with the level of education (P < 0.001). The variables negatively associated with a positive attitude towards cancer information were poor self-rated health status (ref: fair) (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.42-0.95) and high self-perceived risk of developing cancer (ref: low) (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60-0.92). CONCLUSIONS: These findings have potential to inform programmes designed to promote cancer prevention behaviours. Policies should target population groups with low socio-economic groups, those with poor self-rated health and individuals with high self-perceived risk of cancer. Further, in order to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms, we need to focus on individuals with unhealthy lifestyles.
BACKGROUND: It is necessary to raise a positive attitude towards cancer information to improve disease prevention and control. OBJECTIVE: To identify social factors, health characteristics and cancer-related perceptions and knowledge associated with a positive attitude towards cancer information. DESIGN: We ran multivariate logistic regression models to analyse population-based data from OncoBarómetro-2010, a Spanish representative survey on perceptions and knowledge, related to cancer, conducted among 7938 people aged 18 years or more. MEASUREMENT: Attitudes towards cancer information. A positive attitude includes feeling motivated to keep informed, to have screening tests or to change lifestyle. A negative attitude includes feeling indifference, concern, frustration or fear. RESULTS: 38.3% of the studied population reported having received information related to cancer (within the last 6 months). Among those, 31.5% expressed a negative attitude towards cancer information. People more likely to have a positive attitude towards cancer information (reference category: negative attitude) were people aged 35-74 (ref: aged 18-34) (P < 0.001) and cancer survivors (ref: those who had not had cancer) (OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.73-5.38). The likelihood of a positive attitude increased with the level of education (P < 0.001). The variables negatively associated with a positive attitude towards cancer information were poor self-rated health status (ref: fair) (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.42-0.95) and high self-perceived risk of developing cancer (ref: low) (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60-0.92). CONCLUSIONS: These findings have potential to inform programmes designed to promote cancer prevention behaviours. Policies should target population groups with low socio-economic groups, those with poor self-rated health and individuals with high self-perceived risk of cancer. Further, in order to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms, we need to focus on individuals with unhealthy lifestyles.
Authors: Belén Sanz-Barbero; Maurice Sopacua; Laura Otero-García; Alfredo Borda-Olivas; María Victoria Zunzunegui Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2012-08-14 Impact factor: 3.380
Authors: Guillermo Tortolero-Luna; Lila J Finney Rutten; Bradford W Hesse; Terisa Davis; Julie Kornfeld; Marta Sanchez; Richard P Moser; Ana Patricia Ortiz; Ruby A Serrano-Rodriguez; Kia Davis Journal: J Health Commun Date: 2010
Authors: Bridget Kelly; Robert Hornik; Anca Romantan; J Sanford Schwartz; Katrina Armstrong; Angela DeMichele; Martin Fishbein; Stacy Gray; Shawnika Hull; Annice Kim; Rebekah Nagler; Jeff Niederdeppe; A Susana Ramírez; Aaron Smith-McLallen; Norman Wong Journal: J Health Commun Date: 2010-10