About one third of cancers may very well be prevented through lifestyle changes – that is about approx million cases of cancer in Europe annually. You might think that the majority people would already concentrate on the dangers of this lifestyle, but you would be unsuitable. Our latest studypublished in the European Journal of Cancer show that many people still don’t know about risk factors, despite huge sums being spent on public health education campaigns.
A big minority of the public either underestimates the importance of known risk factors or has unfounded beliefs about possible causes, equivalent to using cell phones or being near overhead power lines.
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People need an accurate picture of their cancer risk to make informed decisions about how they’ll protect their health. Push public health strategy Reducing the burden of cancer involves encouraging people to avoid or minimize the risks they face. This is undermined if there may be confusion about these risks.
Our study of 1,300 adults found a high level of confusion of risk factors. Using data collected from A survey of attitudes and beliefs about cancer in the UK in 2016, we set out to research people’s knowledge about the causes of cancer and determine whether certain groups are more prone to develop cancer.
Hypersensitivity to cancer risk factors
The results of our evaluation surprised us. Overall, lower than half of the questions people were asked about cancer risk factors had correct answers. Some people had a very good understanding of the established risk factors, but those with more knowledge were also more prone to incorrectly endorse fictitious causes equivalent to electromagnetic frequencies and microwave ovens.
We couldn’t investigate why this happened, but it surely suggests “hypersensitivity” to risk factors: people sensed dangers where there have been none. This suggests that people don’t filter the health messages disseminated on their social networks and media.
People were generally poor at identifying risk factors supported by scientific evidence. Four out of ten respondents didn’t know that being obese is related to an increased risk of cancer. The same percentage didn’t perceive the dangers of sunburn. Nearly three in 4 respondents (71%) were unaware that infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a standard virus that attacks the skin and moist membranes and could be transmitted sexually, is linked to certain cancers, including cervical cancer, mouth and anus.
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Not only were some people unaware of the established risks, but others had beliefs about the causes of cancer that weren’t supported by science. Nearly half of respondents believed stress was the cause, with 1 / 4 blaming cell phones. One in five people consider that using a microwave is a risk factor. Research raises questions on the source of data for people.
The audience cannot sustain
Consistent with previous research, whites and those with longer education were more prone to discover the actual causes of cancer. Younger people and white people were more prone to consider in unconfirmed cancer risks. The findings support existing evidence that specific population groups are more prone to have poorer knowledge of cancer risk. Targeting health messages in order that they are accessible and comprehensible to everyone in society is essential to addressing communication inequalities.
This is vital as science builds an increasingly complex picture of the factors contributing to cancer. As the field advances, it’s unlikely that public knowledge will all the time keep pace, leaving vital health promotion messages unattended.
As people increasingly get their news from social media – sometimes from unreliable sources (so-called “fake news”) – it can be crucial to observe changes in people’s beliefs about the causes of cancer and lifestyle changes. The results of our study could be used as a benchmark for society’s understanding of cancer risk factors against which future changes could be measured.
