LB79
Public attitudes to cancer: emotional and rational beliefs
Alice Simon, Kathryn Robb, Anne Miles, Lauren Matheson, Claudia Redekker, Jane Wardle
University College London, UK
Background
There has been little research examining public beliefs about or attitudes to
cancer in the UK. Negative attitudes may affect participation in
screening and be a factor in delays in presenting with cancer symptoms.
They could also be important in making decisions about cancer treatment as well
as determining emotional responses to the illness. The aim of this study
was to explore public attitudes to cancer and test the idea that incompatible
emotional and rational beliefs could co-exist using a qualitative methodology
Method
30 participants (age 23-73 years) took part in semi-structured
interviews. They were asked to describe their knowledge and beliefs about
cancer in relation to incidence, types of cancer, treatments, and
outcomes. Participants were also invited to discuss their experience of
cancer in their social network. Data were analysed using thematic
analysis.
Results
Descriptions of cancer reflected dual processing theory with expression of
incompatible emotional/experiential and analytic/rational beliefs. The
emotional responses included fear, fatalism and perceptions of stigma.
The image of a cancer patient was of a person who was thin, with no hair and
frail and who might be rejected by others. Suffering and death were the
associated outcomes. However, many participants spontaneously described
these beliefs as an immediate emotional reaction to cancer and reflected that
they also held more balanced or rational beliefs about cancer which had a
more positive tone. They were aware of improvements in treatments and
outcomes for cancer. Their fear of cancer was described as being in some
way out of date and belonging to an earlier generation.
Conclusion
Although peoples emotional reactions to cancer emphasise fear and dread, there
is also evidence that a new rational understanding of cancer as a treatable
and curable disease is emerging. Health education campaigns that address
both emotional and analytic conceptions about cancer may be more successful
than those providing purely factual information.
