Differences in evaluations of communication channels for cancer-related information

Abstract

This study examined women's evaluations of communication channels which are major carriers of cancer-related information. A sample of women over 40 (n = 395) was asked which channels they had received cancer-related information from within the last year and what their evaluations were of these channels in terms of three dimensions: editorial tone (credibility), communication potential (presentation and style), and utility. Various statistical analyses revealed significant interactions between evaluations and channels and significant main effects for channels and for evaluations. Additional post hoc comparisons suggested that there was a general trend across channel characteristics to rate doctors and organizations more highly than friends/family and the media for providing cancer-related information, although the respondents did not perceive information received from doctors and organizations as more understandable or more novel than information obtained from the media. On the whole, friends and family were evaluated least positively. These results are discussed in terms of their relationship to other programmatic research in this area and their pragmatic implications for future cancer control efforts.