title: Stem cell research: the role of information seeking and scanning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mass media have held an ongoing debate about stem cell research. However, few studies have investigated how individuals obtain information on stem cell research and whether this affects their knowledge and perspectives on stem cell research.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate whether (i) cancer-diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals differ in terms of their acquisition of stem cell research information, (ii) whether this information acquisition is associated with stem cell research knowledge and perspectives and (iii) whether having had a cancer diagnosis moderates these associations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A standardised, cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 621 cancer-diagnosed and 1387 non-diagnosed individuals in Flanders (Belgium).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate that stem cell research information acquisition explains a significant part of the variance of stem cell research knowledge (8.9%) and of the societal benefits of stem cell research (6.7%) and of embryonic stem cell research evaluation (3.9%) and morality (2%). These associations did not differ between cancer-diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals but cancer-diagnosed individuals did seek more stem cell research information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acquiring stem cell research information, both intentionally and unintentionally, is positively related to stem cell research knowledge and perspectives. Future research should further identify ways to promote health information acquisition behaviour because it is associated with better knowledge and more positive opinion formation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nelissen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van den Bulck
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO Vlaanderen), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beullens
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008402:Mass Media / Q000639:trends; D057905:Stem Cell Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Europe; Western; consumer health information; information seeking behaviour; information sources; mass media; surveys