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Charlene Caburnay, MPH1, Douglas Luke, PhD2, Jon Stemmle3, and Glen T. Cameron, PhD3. (1) Health Communication Research Laboratory, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63104, 314-977-4028, caburnay@slu.edu, (2) School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63104, (3) School of Journalism, University of Missouri-Columbia, 114 Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, Columbia, MO 65211
Media-directed interventions can increase media attention to an issue, influence media content, and lead to measurable change in public perception. When cancer issues are perceived as important, greater individual, community, and political support for cancer prevention would be expected. To date, Black newspapers have been largely untapped as a cancer communication channel. African-Americans look to Black newspapers to provide Black community news and information – including health information – that is directly relevant to Blacks and not usually provided by general media. With their unique reach, credibility, and influence in Black communities, Black newspapers hold the promise of helping raise cancer awareness, stimulating preventive action, and eliminating cancer disparities among Blacks. This presentation will report on the methods used in planning and carrying out the first-ever descriptive study of cancer coverage in a national sample of Black newspapers. In this study, we are content analyzing cancer articles in 24 Black and 12 mainstream newspapers. We will then discuss the methodology used to develop and test a computer-based, automated cancer information system to enhance this coverage by providing Black newspapers with community-specific cancer stories and data. If effective, this automated cancer information system could be offered to all Black newspapers and other Black media, and be adapted for use by other populations. Given the cancer burden on Blacks, the vibrancy and role of Black newspapers in local communities, and the resurgence and viability of community newspapers in the U.S., the potential of Black newspapers as a channel for cancer communication is great.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Communication, Cancer
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.