Celebrity endorsements of cancer screening

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005 May 4;97(9):693-5. doi: 10.1093/jnci/dji117.

Abstract

Celebrities often promote cancer screening by relating personal anecdotes about their own diagnosis or that of a loved one. We used data obtained from a random-digit dialing survey conducted in the United States from December 2001 through July 2002 to examine the extent to which adults of screening age without a history of cancer had seen or heard or been influenced by celebrity endorsements of screening mammography, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. The survey response rate was 72% among those known to be eligible and 51% among potentially eligible people accounting for those who could not be contacted. A total of 360 women aged 40 years or older and 140 men aged 50 years or older participated in the survey. Most respondents reported they "had seen or heard a celebrity talk about" mammography (73% of women aged 40 years or older), PSA testing (63% of men aged 50 years or older), or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (52% of adults aged 50 years or older). At least one-fourth of respondents who had seen or heard a celebrity endorsement said that the endorsement made them more likely to undergo mammography (25%), PSA testing (31%), or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (37%).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Colonoscopy
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Famous Persons*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mammography
  • Mass Screening* / psychology
  • Mass Screening* / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Sigmoidoscopy
  • United States

Substances

  • Prostate-Specific Antigen