Cancer as perceived by a middle-aged Jewish urban population in Israel.

Purpose/objectives: To identify beliefs and attitudes of a Jewish urban population in Israel regarding cancer, in the context of the present medical knowledge among lay populations.

Research Approach: Qualitative analysis of focus groups.

Setting: Israel.

Mental disorders stigma in the media: review of studies on production, content, and influences.

This article analyzes two decades of research regarding the mass media's role in shaping, perpetuating, and reducing the stigma of mental illness. It concentrates on three broad areas common in media inquiry: production, representation, and audiences. The analysis reveals that descriptions of mental illness and the mentally ill are distorted due to inaccuracies, exaggerations, or misinformation.