'Controversy'. Propaganda versus evidence based health promotion: the case of breast screening

Using Adult Children to Enhance Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening

We pre-tested if a new communication strategy addressed to adult children could be effective in helping to improve colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) participation rates. In a first study we used a sample of undergraduate students who participated in an experiment with six different conditions to analyze their risk perceptions regarding CRCS and their family role. A second study with a portion of that sample was also achieved to give robustness to the findings. In addition, we achieved a third study using the first sample to replicate previous findings. In a fourth study we used a sample of participants above 50 years old in order to test if the responses regarding how adult children advise their parents and their perceived influence regarding adopting healthy behaviour were similar to parents’ responses to the same questions. A final fifth study was achieved to inquire about the reasons why adult children would decide to advise their parents if a hypothetical marketing campaign was targeted at them. The results showed that designing a communication campaign addressed to adult children could help to increase rates. This result is mainly derived from the role adult children play in a parent’s decision about health behaviour, and the willingness to influence parents to participate in the screening. Adult children could also prescribe CRCS to their parents, as health services or celebrities do. Therefore, they might help to convince the at-risk population to comply with the screening, and consequently, to enhance participation rates.

A survey of breast cancer awareness and knowledge in a Western population: lots of light but little illumination

There are conflicting data on breast cancer awareness and knowledge in specific population groups. We assessed awareness and knowledge of breast cancer in the general Irish population to identify sources of information on breast cancer and determine factors associated with knowledge and awareness of the disease. Participants (n=2355, 53% female) completed a multi-part questionnaire. Most (81%) had seen or heard something about breast cancer in the recent past and knowledge of symptoms and treatment was good overall. However, 66% of females overestimated their risk of developing disease, 88% underestimated the age at which it was most likely to develop and 56% underestimated 5-year survival. Knowledge of incidence and survival was higher in males (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.1-1.5), participants with higher education (1.5; 1.2-1.7) and those who received information from television (1.3; 1.1-1.5). Ignorance regarding incidence, outcome and risk makes it unlikely that the general public or at risk females could currently make informed decisions on a range of breast cancer issues.