Cancer Information Service utilization by selected U.S. ethnic groups.

The Cancer Information Service (CIS) has responded to information requests of more than 5 million people since 1976. Of interest to staff has been program coverage--in particular, patterns of use by audiences identified as being at high risk for cancer. This paper presents an introductory analysis of the use of the CIS between 1983 and 1990 by ethnic and racial groups. Data analysis, although affected by demographic data-collection restrictions, confirms suspected underutilization by racial and ethnic minorities. Although members of minority audiences call the CIS less frequently, they use the CIS for information about cancer-prevention topics more often than they do for treatment information, and their calls tend to be longer than calls from Whites. Television is demonstrated to be the most effective medium to stimulate use of the CIS among all audience groups. The authors conclude that expanding program coverage is important to reach target audiences, as is a more rigorous data-collection plan to assess utilization patterns. They also suggest the use of program funds to buy air time on a regular basis to stimulate use of the CIS by high-risk audiences and the general public.