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Cancer Coverage in Mass-circulating Canadian Women’s Magazines

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Abstract

Mass media can inform health beliefs and shape cancer control behaviours. This study surveyed cancer coverage in 309 issues of Canadian women’s magazines for the period 1991–1997. Magazines were selected if 1996 revenue >$10 million and circulation >500,000; Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Flare and Homemaker’s met these criteria. The volume of cancer coverage varied significantly by year and by magazine. However, coverage of specific cancers did not reflect their contribution as a cause of cancer death in Canadian women. The percentage of articles on lung cancer was lower and on breast cancer was higher than the percentage of deaths due to these cancers. All magazines had decreased coverage of lung cancer in 1997 compared to 1991. National cancer resource agencies and research initiatives on breast cancer were infrequently mentioned. These results argue for greater partnerships between the media and health educators to enhance balanced dissemination of cancer control information to Canadian women.

Résumé

Les médias peuvent influencer ce que l’on sait sur la santé ainsi que les comportements de lutte contre le cancer. Cette étude a examiné la couverture médiatique du cancer dans 309 numéros de magazines féminins canadiens de 1991 à 1997. Les magazines sélectionnés étaient ceux dont les recettes de 1996 étaient supérieures à 10 millions de dollars et le tirage supérieur à 500 000 exemplaires; Canadian Living, Châtelaine, Flare et Homemaker’s répondaient à ces critères. Il apparaît que la couverture du cancer varie énormément selon l’année et le magazine. Toutefois, la couverture de cancers spécifiques ne correspondait pas à la place qu’ils occupent comme cause de décès par cancer chez les Canadiennes. Ainsi, le pourcentage d’articles sur le cancer du poumon était inférieur et celui sur le cancer du sein supérieur aux pourcentages de décès par ces cancers. Tous les magazines avaient diminué leur couverture du cancer du poumon en 1997 par comparaison à 1991. Les organismes nationaux de ressources contre le cancer et les initiatives de recherche sur le cancer du sein étaient rarement cités. Ces résultats plaident en faveur d’un plus grand partenariat entre les médias et les éducateurs en santé pour accroître la diffusion équilibrée de l’information sur la lutte contre le cancer auprès des Canadiennes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Laurie Hoffman-Goetz PhD, MPH & Megan MacDonald BSc

Authors
  1. Laurie Hoffman-Goetz PhD, MPH
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  2. Megan MacDonald BSc
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Correspondence to Laurie Hoffman-Goetz PhD, MPH.

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Hoffman-Goetz, L., MacDonald, M. Cancer Coverage in Mass-circulating Canadian Women’s Magazines. Can J Public Health 90, 55–59 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404101

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