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J
medicine forum addict
Joined: 07 May 2005
Posts: 93
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 Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:34 am Post subject:
Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050627005504.htm
Date: 2005-06-27
Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths
An American Cancer Society survey finds up to half of Americans mistakenly
believe surgery can spread cancer, and more than one in four thinks a cure
for cancer already exists but is being held back by a profit-driven
industry. Results of the survey are published in the August 1, 2005 issue
of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The
authors say it shows the American public is significantly ill-informed
about cancer, and that most overestimate how much they know.
The medical management of cancer and cancer-related complications, such as
pain, has significantly improved over the last three decades, as have
survival rates for leading cancers. Still, studies indicate that a
patient's own cultural beliefs and understanding of cancer may influence
health behavior, such as whether patients get regular screenings and
undergo treatment.
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with no
history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the disease and
its management, and identify any demographic characteristics associated
with misconceptions. Participants were asked if five misconceptions were
true or false.
The authors found only one in four (25 percent) of participants correctly
identified all five misconceptions as false.
Four in ten (41 percent) of the respondents believed that surgical
treatment actually spread cancer in the body and 13 percent said they were
unsure whether this was true.
Twenty-seven percent believed that there is a cure for cancer available
being withheld by the healthcare industry and an additional 14 percent
were uncertain.
Nineteen percent believed that pain medications were ineffective in
treating cancer pain with another 13 percent saying they did not know.
Nine in ten (89 percent) correctly disagreed with the statement that "all
you need to beat cancer is a positive attitude," but more than one in ten
(11 percent) either thought is was true or did not know.
A similar percentage (87 percent) correctly disagreed that "cancer is
something that cannot be effectively treated," but again, about one in
eight (13 percent) either agreed or did not know.
People who were over 65 years, of non-White race, residents of the South,
or self-identified as without much or any understanding of cancer were
likely to hold more misconceptions.
The survey found little relation between people's self-assessment of
cancer knowledge and the accuracy of their answers. For four of the five
questions, there was no significant difference in prevalence of
endorsement of the inaccuracies between the groups who called themselves
"very informed," "somewhat informed," or "not very informed." However,
those who called themselves "not at all informed" were generally quite
accurate when rating their own health literacy.
"These results indicate that public and patient education interventions
are most urgently needed in cancer centers, medical practices, and other
community organizations that serve large numbers of patients with these
'at risk' demographic characteristics," conclude the authors.
Article: "Sociodemographic Determinants of Cancer Treatment Health
Literacy," Ted Gansler, S. Jane Henley, Kevin Stein, Eric J. Nehl, Carol
Smigal, Edwin Slaughter, CANCER; Published Online: June 27, 2005 (DOI:
10.1002/cncr.21194); Print Issue Date: August 1, 2005. Article is
available via Wiley InterScience at
http:/?/?www.interscience.wiley.com/?cancer-newsroom. |
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Peter Moran
medicine forum Guru Wannabe
Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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"J" <online@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:42BFD638.6D7C009D@execulink.com...
| Quote: | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050627005504.htm
Date: 2005-06-27
Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths
An American Cancer Society survey finds up to half of Americans mistakenly
believe surgery can spread cancer, and more than one in four thinks a cure
for cancer already exists but is being held back by a profit-driven
industry. Results of the survey are published in the August 1, 2005 issue
of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The
authors say it shows the American public is significantly ill-informed
about cancer, and that most overestimate how much they know.
The medical management of cancer and cancer-related complications, such as
pain, has significantly improved over the last three decades, as have
survival rates for leading cancers. Still, studies indicate that a
patient's own cultural beliefs and understanding of cancer may influence
health behavior, such as whether patients get regular screenings and
undergo treatment.
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with no
history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the disease and
its management, and identify any demographic characteristics associated
with misconceptions. Participants were asked if five misconceptions were
true or false.
The authors found only one in four (25 percent) of participants correctly
identified all five misconceptions as false.
Four in ten (41 percent) of the respondents believed that surgical
treatment actually spread cancer in the body and 13 percent said they were
unsure whether this was true.
Twenty-seven percent believed that there is a cure for cancer available
being withheld by the healthcare industry and an additional 14 percent
were uncertain.
Nineteen percent believed that pain medications were ineffective in
treating cancer pain with another 13 percent saying they did not know.
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These are amazing figures. It is puzzling but fortunate that they do not
seem to correspond to how people actually act. Few, for example, will
reject surgery for a primary cancer. So far. I do suspect more people
are prepared to reject conventional treatment partially or fully as the
result of unfortunate beliefs , but not nearly as many as these figures
would suggest.
Peter Moran |
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Socks the Whitehouse Cat
medicine forum beginner
Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:32 pm Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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"Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in
news:42c0753d$0$854$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.
com.au:
| Quote: |
"J" <online@privacy.net> wrote in message
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with
no history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the
disease and its management, and identify any demographic
characteristics associated with misconceptions. Participants were
asked if five misconceptions were true or false.
These are amazing figures. It is puzzling but fortunate that they do
not seem to correspond to how people actually act. Few, for example,
will reject surgery for a primary cancer. So far. I do suspect
more people are prepared to reject conventional treatment partially or
fully as the result of unfortunate beliefs , but not nearly as many as
these figures would suggest.
|
I think the reason for that perceived discrepency is in the paragraph
from the original post that I left above. People who get cancer tend to
pick up alot of knowledge. Knowledge trumps ignorance. So the people
actually making decisions about treatment have a higher than average
amount of knowledge backing up their decisions.
For instance, people who either have themselves or are treating patients
with lung cancer tend not to be smokers anymore or buy the tobacco
lobbyist arguments that tobacco isnt a proven cause. You just dont see
the same number of smokers outside lung cancer clinics as you would an
average office building, even a medical office building.
--
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
~Mark Twain |
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Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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I'm not at all surprised by these statistics considering all the
legitimate newspapers that still carry astrology columns and the huge
number of americans who believe that stuff along with an almost
unlimited array of other hocu-pocus anti-scientific venues. Of course,
at the first sign of a health problem they quickly abandon all faith in
these ventures and run to the nearest scientist (a doctor). To wit:
My sister-in-law who is vehemently opposed to stem-cell research yet
would be first in line for any cure from such research. Ya' gotta luv
'em.
Dave Perry |
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Peter Moran
medicine forum Guru Wannabe
Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:47 am Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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"Socks the Whitehouse Cat" <agent01413@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9682A84BA785Dagent01413MYDEJACOM@216.168.3.44...
| Quote: | "Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in
news:42c0753d$0$854$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.
com.au:
"J" <online@privacy.net> wrote in message
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with
no history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the
disease and its management, and identify any demographic
characteristics associated with misconceptions. Participants were
asked if five misconceptions were true or false.
These are amazing figures. It is puzzling but fortunate that they do
not seem to correspond to how people actually act. Few, for example,
will reject surgery for a primary cancer. So far. I do suspect
more people are prepared to reject conventional treatment partially or
fully as the result of unfortunate beliefs , but not nearly as many as
these figures would suggest.
I think the reason for that perceived discrepency is in the paragraph
from the original post that I left above. People who get cancer tend to
pick up alot of knowledge. Knowledge trumps ignorance. So the people
actually making decisions about treatment have a higher than average
amount of knowledge backing up their decisions.
For instance, people who either have themselves or are treating patients
with lung cancer tend not to be smokers anymore or buy the tobacco
lobbyist arguments that tobacco isnt a proven cause. You just dont see
the same number of smokers outside lung cancer clinics as you would an
average office building, even a medical office building.
|
Yes, having cancer also focuses the mind wonderfully, as I recently
discovered with a scare that is (probably) unfounded.
Peter Moran |
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Steph
medicine forum Guru
Joined: 03 May 2005
Posts: 504
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:41 am Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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"Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in message
news:42c0e465$0$866$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
| Quote: |
"Socks the Whitehouse Cat" <agent01413@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9682A84BA785Dagent01413MYDEJACOM@216.168.3.44...
"Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in
news:42c0753d$0$854$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.
com.au:
"J" <online@privacy.net> wrote in message
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with
no history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the
disease and its management, and identify any demographic
characteristics associated with misconceptions. Participants were
asked if five misconceptions were true or false.
These are amazing figures. It is puzzling but fortunate that they do
not seem to correspond to how people actually act. Few, for example,
will reject surgery for a primary cancer. So far. I do suspect
more people are prepared to reject conventional treatment partially or
fully as the result of unfortunate beliefs , but not nearly as many as
these figures would suggest.
I think the reason for that perceived discrepency is in the paragraph
from the original post that I left above. People who get cancer tend to
pick up alot of knowledge. Knowledge trumps ignorance. So the people
actually making decisions about treatment have a higher than average
amount of knowledge backing up their decisions.
For instance, people who either have themselves or are treating patients
with lung cancer tend not to be smokers anymore or buy the tobacco
lobbyist arguments that tobacco isnt a proven cause. You just dont see
the same number of smokers outside lung cancer clinics as you would an
average office building, even a medical office building.
Yes, having cancer also focuses the mind wonderfully, as I recently
discovered with a scare that is (probably) unfounded.
Peter Moran
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Peter...........! |
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Sinead
medicine forum beginner
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:11 am Post subject:
Re: Polls Finds Many Americans Believe Cancer Myths (x-post)
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"Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in message
news:42c0e465$0$866$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
| Quote: |
"Socks the Whitehouse Cat" <agent01413@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9682A84BA785Dagent01413MYDEJACOM@216.168.3.44...
"Peter Moran" <moringa@gil.com.au> wrote in
news:42c0753d$0$854$61c65585@uq-127creek-reader-03.brisbane.pipenetworks.
com.au:
"J" <online@privacy.net> wrote in message
Led by Ted Gansler, M.D., M.B.A of the American Cancer Society,
researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 957 adults with
no history of cancer to assess Americans' understanding of the
disease and its management, and identify any demographic
characteristics associated with misconceptions. Participants were
asked if five misconceptions were true or false.
These are amazing figures. It is puzzling but fortunate that they do
not seem to correspond to how people actually act. Few, for example,
will reject surgery for a primary cancer. So far. I do suspect
more people are prepared to reject conventional treatment partially or
fully as the result of unfortunate beliefs , but not nearly as many as
these figures would suggest.
I think the reason for that perceived discrepency is in the paragraph
from the original post that I left above. People who get cancer tend to
pick up alot of knowledge. Knowledge trumps ignorance. So the people
actually making decisions about treatment have a higher than average
amount of knowledge backing up their decisions.
For instance, people who either have themselves or are treating patients
with lung cancer tend not to be smokers anymore or buy the tobacco
lobbyist arguments that tobacco isnt a proven cause. You just dont see
the same number of smokers outside lung cancer clinics as you would an
average office building, even a medical office building.
Yes, having cancer also focuses the mind wonderfully, as I recently
discovered with a scare that is (probably) unfounded.
Peter Moran
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I bloody hope it is!!
Sinead |
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