A content analysis of cancer survivorship coverage in a representative sample of US news outlets.
BACKGROUND
Media are popular sources of cancer information, yet little is known about how survivors are depicted.


METHODS
This study analyzes coverage of cancer survivors in a nationally representative sample of newspapers and television newscasts. Stories were coded for cancer type, gender, age, survivorship length and status, treatment types, and spirituality, among other variables.


RESULTS
Media provide limited information about survivors. Also, although breast cancer coverage was close to survivorship rates, nearly every other cancer type was underreported for both incidence and survivorship rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Inaccurate media coverage may be contributing to public misunderstanding about cancer survivorship.
Larson
Sandra
S
Department of Journalism and Technical Communication, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80528, USA. sjl2@pvhs.org
Long
Marilee
M
Slater
Michael D
MD
Bettinghaus
Erwin P
EP
Read
Andrew
A
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States