Lindsay C. Kobayashi|Samuel G. Smith
Cancer Fatalism, Literacy, and Cancer Information Seeking in the American Public
University College London|University College London|Queen Mary University of London
information seeking important behavior cancer prevention control inequalities communication information disease persist conceptual models suggested low health literacy barrier information seeking fatalistic beliefs cancer may mediator relationship cancer fatalism described deterministic thoughts external causes disease inability prevent inevitability death diagnosis study aimed examine associations constructs sociodemographic factors test mediation model using american populationrepresentative health information national trends survey hints 4 cycle 3 n 2657 approximately one third 34 population failed answer 24 health literacy items correctly limited health literacy many participants agreed fatalistic beliefs seems like everything causes cancer 66 one cannot much lower chances getting cancer 29 thinking cancer makes one automatically think death 58 half population ever sought information cancer 53 analyses adjusted sociodemographic characteristics family cancer history people limited health literacy less likely ever sought cancer information odds ratio 063 042095 frequently endorsed belief theres much 161 105247 fatalistic belief partially explained relationship health literacy information seeking mediation model 14 mediation interventions needed address low health literacy cancer fatalism increase public interest cancerrelated information