Development of a Tool to Assess Beliefs About Mythical Causes of Cancer: the Cancer Awareness Measure Mythical Causes Scale

Overview

Journal BMJ Open

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2018 Dec 16

PMID 30552257

Citations 23

Authors

Samuel G Smith

Emma Beard

Jennifer A McGowan

Emma Fox

Chloe Cook

Radhika Pal

Jo Waller

Lion Shahab

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to develop a reliable and valid measure to assess public beliefs in mythical causes of cancer: the Cancer Awareness Measure-MYthical Causes Scale (CAM-MYCS).

Design And Setting: Cancer myth items were generated from a literature review, social media and interviews (n=16). The CAM-MYCS was prepared by reducing items using (a) an online sample (n=527) with exploratory factor analysis and (b) cancer experts with Delhpi methodology (n=13). To assess test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change, students (n=91) completed the CAM-MYCS at baseline and 1 week after exposure to information on lifestyle-related cancer causes or control information. Construct validity was tested by comparing CAM-MYCS scores between cancer experts (n=25) and students (n=91). Factor structure and internal reliability were investigated in a national sample (n=1993).

Results: Out of 42 items generated, 12 were retained based on factor loadings, prevalence of endorsement and expert consensus. CAM-MYCS scores improved (fewer myths endorsed) among students exposed to information on cancer causes compared with the control group (p<0.001) and showed high test-retest reliability (r=0.90, p<0.001). Cancer experts reported higher CAM-MYCS scores (fewer myths endorsed) than students (p<0.001). The factor structure of the CAM-MYCS was confirmed in the national sample and internal reliability was high (α=0.86). Inclusion of the CAM-MYCS alongside items assessing knowledge of actual cancer causes did not affect responses.

Conclusions: The CAM-MYCS tool is a reliable and valid tool assessing beliefs in mythical causes of cancer, and it can be used alongside items assessing known causes of cancer.

Citing Articles

Socio-Economic Inequalities in Beliefs About Cancer and its Causes: Evidence From two Population Surveys.

Galicia Pacheco S, Catena A, Sanchez M, Rueda M, Aljarilla Sanchez L, Costas L Psychooncology. 2024; 33(12):e70035.

PMID: 39625346 PMC: 11613968. DOI: 10.1002/pon.70035.

Beliefs on Causes of Cancer in the General Population, and the Association With Risk Perception and Lifestyle in a Multiethnic Setting.

Bujang N, Kong Y, Danaee M, Munisamy M, Kaur R, Alagir Rajah H JCO Glob Oncol. 2024; 10:e2400129.

PMID: 39509673 PMC: 11583347. DOI: 10.1200/GO.24.00129.

Accurate and inaccurate beliefs about cancer risk factors among Spanish-preferring adults in the United States.

King A, Lyons B, Rivera Y, Kogan M, Hernandez L, Liao Y PEC Innov. 2024; 5:100333.

PMID: 39262820 PMC: 11387252. DOI: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100333.

Understanding the interplay of colorectal cancer awareness and attitudes among Palestinians: a national cross-sectional study.

Elshami M, Dwikat M, Al-Slaibi I, Alser M, Albandak M, Ayyad M BMC Cancer. 2024; 24(1):590.

PMID: 38750448 PMC: 11094844. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12357-9.

Differences in colorectal cancer awareness between screening eligible vs. ineligible Palestinians: a national cross-sectional study.

Elshami M, Albandak M, Alser M, Al-Slaibi I, Ayyad M, Dwikat M Eur J Public Health. 2024; 34(5):872-878.

PMID: 38745392 PMC: 11430923. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae083.

References

Hvidberg L, Pedersen A, Wulff C, Vedsted P . Cancer awareness and socio-economic position: results from a population-based study in Denmark. BMC Cancer. 2014; 14:581. PMC: 4138385. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-581. View

Hawkins N, Berkowitz Z, Peipins L . What does the public know about preventing cancer? Results from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Health Educ Behav. 2007; 37(4):490-503. DOI: 10.1177/1090198106296770. View

Smith S, Osborne K, Tring S, George H, Power E . Evaluating the impact of a community-based cancer awareness roadshow on awareness, attitudes and behaviors. Prev Med. 2016; 87:138-143. PMC: 4893017. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.02.034. View

Brown K, Rumgay H, Dunlop C, Ryan M, Quartly F, Cox A . The fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom in 2015. Br J Cancer. 2018; 118(8):1130-1141. PMC: 5931106. DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0029-6. View

Simon A, Juszczyk D, Smyth N, Power E, Hiom S, Peake M . Knowledge of lung cancer symptoms and risk factors in the U.K.: development of a measure and results from a population-based survey. Thorax. 2012; 67(5):426-32. DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2011-200898. View

Panjari M, Davis S, Fradkin P, Bell R . Breast cancer survivors' beliefs about the causes of breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2011; 21(7):724-9. DOI: 10.1002/pon.1949. View

Stein K, Zhao L, Crammer C, Gansler T . Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of beliefs regarding cancer risks. Cancer. 2007; 110(5):1139-48. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.22880. View

Shahab L, McGowan J, Waller J, Smith S . Prevalence of beliefs about actual and mythical causes of cancer and their association with socio-demographic and health-related characteristics: Findings from a cross-sectional survey in England. Eur J Cancer. 2018; 103:308-316. PMC: 6202672. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2018.03.029. View

Westhoff E, Maria de Oliveira-Neumayer J, Aben K, Vrieling A, Kiemeney L . Low awareness of risk factors among bladder cancer survivors: New evidence and a literature overview. Eur J Cancer. 2016; 60:136-45. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2016.03.071. View

10.

Petrie K, Myrtveit S, Partridge A, Stephens M, Stanton A . The relationship between the belief in a genetic cause for breast cancer and bilateral mastectomy. Health Psychol. 2014; 34(5):473-6. DOI: 10.1037/hea0000118. View

11.

Stewart D, Cheung A, Duff S, Wong F, McQuestion M, Cheng T . Attributions of cause and recurrence in long-term breast cancer survivors. Psychooncology. 2001; 10(2):179-83. DOI: 10.1002/pon.497. View

12.

Robb K, Stubbings S, Ramirez A, Macleod U, Austoker J, Waller J . Public awareness of cancer in Britain: a population-based survey of adults. Br J Cancer. 2009; 101 Suppl 2:S18-23. PMC: 2790705. DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605386. View

13.

Lagerlund M, Hvidberg L, Hajdarevic S, Pedersen A, Runesdotter S, Vedsted P . Awareness of risk factors for cancer: a comparative study of Sweden and Denmark. BMC Public Health. 2015; 15:1156. PMC: 4655457. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-2512-9. View

14.

Simon A, Forbes L, Boniface D, Warburton F, Brain K, Dessaix A . An international measure of awareness and beliefs about cancer: development and testing of the ABC. BMJ Open. 2012; 2(6). PMC: 3547316. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001758. View

15.

Marlow L, Robb K, Simon A, Waller J, Wardle J . Awareness of cancer risk factors among ethnic minority groups in England. Public Health. 2012; 126(8):702-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2012.05.005. View

16.

. Chlorinated drinking-water; chlorination by-products; some other halogenated compounds; cobalt and cobalt compounds. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group, Lyon, 12-19 June 1990. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 1991; 52:1-544. PMC: 7681469. View

17.

Boxell E, Smith S, Morris M, Kummer S, Rowlands G, Waller J . Increasing awareness of gynecological cancer symptoms and reducing barriers to medical help seeking: does health literacy play a role?. J Health Commun. 2012; 17 Suppl 3:265-79. DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2012.712617. View

18.

Power E, Simon A, Juszczyk D, Hiom S, Wardle J . Assessing awareness of colorectal cancer symptoms: measure development and results from a population survey in the UK. BMC Cancer. 2011; 11:366. PMC: 3188511. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-11-366. View

19.

Wardle J, Waller J, Brunswick N, Jarvis M . Awareness of risk factors for cancer among British adults. Public Health. 2001; 115(3):173-4. DOI: 10.1038/sj/ph/1900752. View

20.

Sanderson S, Waller J, Jarvis M, Humphries S, Wardle J . Awareness of lifestyle risk factors for cancer and heart disease among adults in the UK. Patient Educ Couns. 2008; 74(2):221-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2008.08.003. View