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Abstract
Drawing on components of agenda-setting theory and the two-step flow of information from mass media to news audiences, this study examines the effects of mass and interpersonal communication on breast cancer screening practices among college- and middle-aged women (n = 284). We theorized that screening behaviors among younger women would be influenced more by interpersonal sources of information while screening among middle-aged women would be more influenced by exposure to mass-mediated information. Findings supported anticipated patterns, revealing important and varying roles for both mass and interpersonal communication in the health behaviors of women. Implications for health practitioners and campaign planners, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed.
Notes
This article is drawn from data gathered for the doctoral dissertation of Karyn Ogata Jones at the University of Georgia in 2003. An earlier version of this article was presented at the National Communication Association Annual Conference, Health Communication Division, November 2005.
2. In this study, we examined three screening behaviors: (1) breast self-examination, recommended monthly for women age 18 and older; (2) mammograms, recommended annually for women age 40 and older; and (3) clinical breast examinations, recommended annually for women age 18 and older.
3. The original sample included responses from 32 males in addition to the female students. We, of course, did not include the male students in this study of screening behaviors, but we did retain their mothers in the sample. We considered information supplied by these respondents valuable, and because we split the data file between mothers and daughters, the statistical analyses were affected only by a slightly higher sample of mothers. In comparing mothers of male students with mothers of female students on multiple measures, we observed no differences.
4. Response options to the first question included do not perform breast self-examinations, daily, weekly, monthly, a few times a year, and once a year or less. Response options for the second question included have never had a mammogram, have only had one mammogram, once a year, once every two years, and whenever recommended to me by a physician. Response options for the third question included have never had a clinical breast exam, have only had one clinical breast exam, once a year, once every two years, and other.
5. Checklists for the sources of information and topics were generated from a review of the literature as well as topics and sources that emerged from the focus groups. For both the print (newspaper and magazine) and television items, the following topics were provided: breast cancer of a celebrity, breast cancer of a person other than a celebrity, breast cancer screening recommendations, issues regarding the effectiveness of breast cancer screening practices, stories about women who had a gene that predisposed them to breast cancer, statistics about how often genes cause breast cancer, stories about how genes play a role in breast cancer, environmental factors related to breast cancer, and an “other” fill-in option. For the specific sources of print information, the nearest metropolitan daily was provided, as well as other major city newspaper, national newspaper, other hometown/local newspaper, the university's student newspaper, organizational magazine, women's magazine, news magazine, an “other” fill-in option, and don't know/can't remember. Television options included local news, national news, local programming other than news, national programming other than news, public broadcasting program or news, cable/satellite channel program, an “other” fill-in option, and don't know/can't remember. For frequency analyses, participants were instructed to check all that applied for these items.
