title: Cancer information seekers in china: a preliminary profile.
abstract: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in China. Effective communication about cancer risk and prevention is an important component of cancer control. Yet, research in this area is very limited in China. This study used probability sample survey data from 2 Chinese cities (Beijing and Hefei, Anhui Province) to investigate potential predictors of self-initiated cancer information seeking. Analysis showed that cancer information seekers in China were likely to be married, relatively educated, earning modest incomes, living in rural areas, smoking occasionally, having a family cancer history, relatively trusting of the media for health information, somewhat knowledgeable about cancer, having nonfatalistic attitudes about cancer, and seeing a personal need for more cancer information. The pattern of results, particularly the lack of influence of personal health and risk perception factors, highlights the possibility that seeking for others might be more prevalent than seeking for self in China. Overall, findings suggest that emphasizing family need and mobilizing family support might be a productive approach to cancer communication interventions in China.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Communication , George Mason University , Fairfax , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qunan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Kreps
authors.forename: Guoming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yinghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sylvia Wen-Ying
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perkosie
authors.forename: Xueqiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Zihoa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Meijie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult