Stem cell research: the role of information seeking and scanning.

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.

Fear of cancer is associated with cancer information seeking, scanning and avoiding: a cross-sectional study among cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals.

Background: Nowadays, there is an abundance of health and cancer information in the mass media. Because of this high amount of information, it is possible for individuals to find or incidentally encounter cancer information, but it is also possible to be overloaded by this information and, consequently, to avoid it. Previous studies have indicated that fear of cancer could be both positively and negatively related to behaviours such as screening, help-seeking and information avoidance.

Media use, cancer knowledge and lifestyle choices: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Both media use and cancer knowledge have been identified as important predictors of a healthy lifestyle. However, little is known about the interplay between these two variables, and about differences between cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed consumers of media and knowledge. This study investigated the relationship between media use (television and internet exposure) and lifestyle choices of cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals, and looked at the influence of cancer knowledge on this relationship.

Predictors of cancer fear: the association between mass media and fear of cancer among cancer diagnosed and nondiagnosed individuals.

Few studies have explored the impact of mass media on fear of cancer levels. This study investigates whether television and Internet use are associated with fear of cancer, and whether this association is different for cancer diagnosed and nondiagnosed individuals. A quantitative, standardized survey was used and administered to 2008 respondents in Flanders (Belgium), of which 621 individuals were diagnosed with cancer.

Television news coverage about cervical cancer: impact on female viewers' vulnerability perceptions and fear.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between exposure to television news messages about cervical cancer and women's vulnerability perceptions and fear.

Methods: Five-hundred women aged 18-85 years were randomly recruited to participate in a survey-interview. A standardized questionnaire assessed risk perception, fear of cervical cancer, exposure to cervical cancer messages in television news and a number of potential confounders such as demographics and trait anxiety.

Testing the effectiveness of a skin cancer narrative in promoting positive health behavior: a pilot study.

Objective: The aim of this experiment was to examine the differential impact of a narrative and a non-narrative skin cancer message on health promoting actions and information-seeking behaviors.

Methods: Participants were 230 Flemish university students aged 18 to 25 years who participated in a web based experiment in February 2009. Students were randomly assigned to a narrative skin cancer message, a non-narrative message or a no-message control condition.

Exposure to semi-explicit sexual television content is related to adolescents' reduced fear of AIDS.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between adolescents' frequency of watching semi-explicit sexual television content and their fear of getting AIDS.

Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted to test whether fourth grade students (N = 733) who regularly watched sexually semi-explicit content at baseline were less likely to be afraid of getting AIDS one year later at follow-up.

Results: Regression analyses indicated that adolescents who were frequently exposed to semi-explicit sexual TV content at baseline were less likely to be fearful about getting AIDS one year later.

Television news exposure is related to fear of breast cancer.

Objective: This study assessed the relationship between exposure to breast cancer content in television news programs and fear of breast cancer.

Methods: A quantitative standardized Health and Media Interview Survey was administered to a random sample of 500 Flemish women aged 18-85 years in 2007. The survey contained closed measures on demographics, breast cancer fear, television exposure and potential confounding variables such as trait anxiety, perceived risk and experience with breast cancer.