Open AccessSocioeconomic Disparities in Fatalistic Beliefs About Cancer Prevention and the Internet
Author(s) -
Lee Chuljoo,
Niederdeppe Jeff,
Freres Derek
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1460-2466
pISSN - 0021-9916
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01683.x
Subject(s) - fatalism , the internet , socioeconomic status , health information national trends survey , cancer prevention , cancer , health education , psychology , public health , health information , health communication , environmental health , medicine , social psychology , population , health care , political science , nursing , computer science , world wide web , philosophy , theology , communication , law
Given the importance of public information environment in cancer control, it is theoretically and practically important to explore how people's media use to acquire health information influences their beliefs about cancer prevention. In the current research, we focus on the role of the Internet in shaping fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention (cancer fatalism). To be more specific, we examine the effect of Internet use for health information on changes in cancer fatalism using a 2‐wave nationally representative survey. We then investigate whether the effect of Internet use on cancer fatalism is moderated by education and health knowledge. Health‐related Internet use reduced cancer fatalism only among those with average and lower than the average levels of education and health knowledge.