Predictors of perceived ambiguity about cancer prevention recommendations: sociodemographic factors and mass media exposures.
Cancer prevention recommendations reaching the public today are often ambiguous-that is, of uncertain reliability, credibility, or adequacy-yet little is known about the factors that influence public perceptions of this ambiguity. We used data from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey, conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, to explore how sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported mass media exposures relate to perceptions of ambiguity regarding recommendations for the prevention of colon, skin, and lung cancer. Various sociodemographic characteristics (age, education, race) and mass media exposures (television, radio, Internet, health news) were found to be associated with perceived ambiguity about cancer prevention recommendations, and many of these associations varied by cancer type. These findings have important implications for future health communication research and practice.
Han
Paul K J
PK
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. hanp@mail.nih.gov
Moser
Richard P
RP
Klein
William M P
WM
Beckjord
Ellen Burke
EB
Dunlavy
Andrea C
AC
Hesse
Bradford W
BW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult