Cancer disparities among African Americans have prompted researchers to find innovative solutions for eliminating this health problem. In this pilot study, 52 Black newspapers from 22 U.S. cities and 12 rural counties were tracked and coded for the frequency and content of cancer-related articles. Preliminary findings suggest there is little coverage of cancer in Black newspapers, and when published, articles are not prominently placed or locally relevant. We identified 4085 articles, of which 7% were health-related and 1% were cancer-related. A prominence scale was created using the variables front page, headline size, area, location, and visual into a scale ranging from 0 (low) to 11 (high). Mean prominence scores for the cancer-related articles was 4.5 on the 12-point scale. Over half (55%) of the articles mentioned breast cancer, followed by cancer of the prostate (12%), colon (10%), and lung (7%). Epidemiology was the main cancer focus in over half (55%) of the articles followed by screening (41% ) and treatment (33%). A limited number of articles included behavioral risk factors for cancer (19%) or specific cues to action for the individual (52%) and for the community (33%) to reduce cancer risk. Findings suggest there is limited coverage of cancer and behavioral modification information in Black newspapers. The potential exists to increase awareness and behaviors of cancer prevention in African-American populations by improving the frequency and type of cancer coverage published in Black newspapers, generally viewed as a more trusted source of information by African Americans.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the frequency of cancer-related articles published in a sample of Black newspapers. 2. Discuss methods of content analysis and content characteristics of cancer coverage in Black newspapers. 3. Discuss implications for accessing African Americans through Black newspapers for delivering locally and personally relevant cancer information.
Keywords: Media Advocacy, Cancer
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.