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Prostate and colon cancer screening messages in popular magazines

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To 1) compare the number of articles published about prostate, colon, and breast cancer in popular magazines during the past 2 decades, and 2) evaluate the content of indepth prostate and colon cancer screening articles identified from 1996 to 2001.

DESIGN: We used a searchable database to identify the number of prostate, colon, and breast cancer articles published in three magazines with the highest circulation from six categories. In addition, we performed a systematic review on the in-depth (≥2 pages) articles on prostate and colon cancer screening that appeared from 1996 through 2001.

RESULTS: Although the number of magazine articles on prostate and colon cancer published in the 1990s increased compared to the 1980s, the number of articles is approximately one third of breast cancer articles. There were 36 in-depth articles from 1996 to 2001 in which prostate or colon cancer screening were mentioned. Over 90% of the articles recommended screening. However, of those articles, only 76% (25/33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 58% to 89%) cited screening guidelines. The benefits of screening were mentioned in 89% (32/36; 95% CI, 74% to 97%) but the harms were only found in 58% (21/36; 95% CI, 41% to 75%). Only 28% (10/36; 95% CI, 14% to 45%) of the articles provided all the necessary information needed for the reader to make an informed decision.

CONCLUSIONS: In-depth articles about prostate and colon cancer in popular magazines do not appear as frequently as articles about breast cancer. The available articles on prostate and colon cancer screening often do not provide the information necessary for the reader to make an informed decision about screening.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Received from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

    Mira L. Katz PhD, MPH, Michael Pignone MD & Michael O’Malley PhD

  2. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

    Stacey Sheridan MD, Michael Pignone MD, Carmen Lewis MD & Jamila Battle BS

  3. School of Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

    Claudia Gollop PhD

Authors
  1. Mira L. Katz PhD, MPH
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  2. Stacey Sheridan MD
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  3. Michael Pignone MD
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  4. Carmen Lewis MD
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  5. Jamila Battle BS
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  6. Claudia Gollop PhD
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  7. Michael O’Malley PhD
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Correspondence to Mira L. Katz PhD, MPH.

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Katz, M.L., Sheridan, S., Pignone, M. et al. Prostate and colon cancer screening messages in popular magazines. J GEN INTERN MED 19, 843–848 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30504.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30504.x

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