Women's perceptions of heart disease and breast cancer and the association with media representations of the diseases.

Background: This research examined differences in perceptions of heart disease compared with breast cancer and if the differences are reflected in media presentations of the diseases. Relationships of differences in perceptions to demographic groups, heart disease risk factors and health behaviors were examined.

Methods: Study 1 was a quantitative content analysis of articles and advertisements related to heart disease or breast cancer.

Results: There were greater perceptions of susceptibility, preventability and controllability of heart disease and lower perceptions regarding seriousness, fearfulness and extent to which family history determines disease development of heart disease compared with breast cancer. Five times more pieces related to breast cancer were found compared with heart disease. Study 2 was a survey of 1524 women. More articles and advertisements about breast cancer than heart disease were found, and survey participants reported seeing significantly more breast cancer than heart disease media. Younger women had greater perceived susceptibility of breast cancer relative to heart disease while the content analysis revealed that the heart disease pieces were more likely to feature women older than 40 years of age.

Conclusions: This research is an important step in the development of theories regarding causal effects of media on health perceptions and behaviors.