title: Reduced fatalism and increased prevention behavior after two high-profile lung cancer events.
abstract: The positive impact of media coverage of high-profile cancer events on cancer prevention behaviors is well-established. However, less work has focused on potential adverse psychological reactions to such events, such as fatalism. Conducting 3 studies, the authors explored how the lung cancer death of Peter Jennings and diagnosis of Dana Reeve in 2005 related to fatalism. Analysis of a national media sample in Study 1 found that media coverage of these events often focused on reiterating the typical profile of those diagnosed with lung cancer; 38% of the media mentioned at least 1 known risk factor for lung cancer, most often smoking. Data from a nationally representative survey in Study 2 found that respondents reported lower lung cancer fatalism, after, compared with before, the events (OR = 0.16, 95% CI [0.03, 0.93]). A sustained increase in call volume to the national tobacco Quitline after these events was found in Study 3. These results suggest that there is a temporal association between high-profile cancer events, the subsequent media coverage, psychological outcomes, and cancer prevention behaviors. These results suggest that high-profile cancer events could be leveraged as an opportunity for large-scale public heath communication campaigns through the dissemination of cancer prevention messages and services.
authors.affiliation: a Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Center for Cancer Training, and the Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences , National Cancer Institute , Rockville , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Portnoy
authors.forename: Corinne R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Annette R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alfano
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D005197:Famous Persons; D015438:Health Behavior; D015277:Hotlines / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D008402:Mass Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013997:Time Factors