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29 August 2008
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Survey reveals mistaken beliefs about cancer causes
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MedWire News: Many people have mistaken beliefs regarding the causes of cancer, results of a global survey show.
The findings, from a survey conducted by the International Union Against Cancer, reveal that people tend to underestimate the risk of cancer associated with certain behaviours, such as alcohol consumption, and overestimate the risk associated with environmental factors.
Dr David Hill, director of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, and team asked nearly 30,000 people in 29 countries across the globe about their beliefs regarding the causes and treatment of cancer.
Although studies show that increased alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of cancer, the researchers found that 42% of people in high-income countries did not believe that alcohol significantly increases the risk, compared with 26% of respondents in middle-income countries and 15% of those in low-income countries.
Furthermore, 57% of respondents in high-income countries believed that stress significantly increases the risk of cancer and 78% believed that air pollution was a significant risk factor for the disease. However, stress is not recognised as a cause of cancer and air pollution is a minor contributor compared with alcohol consumption.
The team also found that people in low- and middle-income countries have more pessimistic beliefs about cancer treatment than those in richer countries. Indeed, 48% of respondents in low-income countries believed that "not much can be done" to cure cancer.
Overall, respondents in all countries were more likely to believe that factors out of their control, such as air pollution, presented a more significant risk of cancer than those within their control, such as alcohol consumption and being overweight.
Dr Hill commented that the findings could help in education programmes aimed at helping people reduce their risk of cancer.
He said: "The survey reveals there are some big unheard messages. These kind of data help us to quantify the differences between countries and to highlight where additional efforts are needed.
"We know that people need to be given a reason why they should change. They need to be shown how to change; they need to be given resources or support to change; they need to remember to change and they need positive reinforcement for changing. Many of these principles can be applied in designing education programmes to encourage and support behaviour change," he concluded.
The findings were presented at the International Union of Against Cancer World Cancer Congress 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland.
International Union of Against Cancer World Cancer Congress; Geneva, Switzerland: 27-31 August 2008
http://www.worldcancercongress.org/
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