Ngien Annabel, Jiang Shaohai
Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Prev Med Rep. 2024 Jul 14;45:102824. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102824. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Colorectal cancer is major public health concern in China. This study seeks to explore the role of online cancer information seeking in influencing colorectal cancer screening, by taking into account one's coping appraisals (i.e., self-efficacy, response efficacy), threat appraisals (i.e., perceived severity, cancer worry) and cancer fatalism.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 730 participants in China recruited from a Chinese survey company's online panels. Path analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between the key constructs.
First, online cancer information seeking increased both coping appraisals and threat appraisals. Second, threat appraisal did not significantly influence cancer fatalism, but coping appraisal reduced cancer fatalism. Third, cancer fatalism had no effects on colorectal cancer screening. Lastly, online cancer information also had a direct and positive relationship with cancer screening.
This research emphasises the need for health organisations to offer timely cancer information to people, and educate them about the importance of cancer screening. Health authorities may also regulate online cancer information to ensure that the information is accurate and appropriate in improving people's cancer prevention and cancer screening knowledge.
结直肠癌是中国主要的公共卫生问题。本研究旨在通过考虑个体的应对评估（即自我效能感、反应效能）、威胁评估（即感知严重性、癌症担忧）和癌症宿命论，探讨在线寻求癌症信息对结直肠癌筛查的影响。
对从一家中国调查公司的在线样本中招募的730名中国参与者进行了横断面调查。进行路径分析以研究关键构念之间的关系。
首先，在线寻求癌症信息增加了应对评估和威胁评估。其次，威胁评估对癌症宿命论没有显著影响，但应对评估降低了癌症宿命论。第三，癌症宿命论对结直肠癌筛查没有影响。最后，在线癌症信息与癌症筛查也存在直接的正相关关系。
本研究强调卫生组织需要向人们提供及时的癌症信息，并教育他们癌症筛查的重要性。卫生当局还可对在线癌症信息进行监管，以确保信息在提高人们的癌症预防和癌症筛查知识方面准确且恰当。
