Cancer information and anxiety: applying the extended parallel process model

Ruth EC Evans; Rebecca J Beeken; Andrew Steptoe; Jane Wardle

doi:10.1177/1359105311421046

Cancer information and anxiety: applying the extended parallel process model

Ruth EC Evans
, Rebecca J Beeken
, Andrew Steptoe
, Jane Wardle

Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

There is concern that public education about testicular cancer (TC) may cause unnecessary anxiety. Psychological theory suggests that if threat (eg, TC) information is accompanied with threat control strategies (eg, testicular self-examination; TSE) anxiety is less likely. Male students (N=443) were randomized to either a TC or TC +TSE information group or a no information control group, and assessed at three time points. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups and exposure to TC+TSE resulted in greater perceived message benefit, increased intention to self-examine and lower message denigration. This suggests TC information is not anxiogenic, but inclusion of TSE information may improve acceptance of disease awareness information.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	579-89
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Health Psychology
Volume	17
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105311421046
Publication status	Published - May 2012

Keywords

Adult
Anxiety/etiology
Health Education
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Models, Psychological
Self-Examination/psychology
Testicular Neoplasms/diagnosis
Young Adult

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/1359105311421046

Cite this

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title = "Cancer information and anxiety: applying the extended parallel process model",

abstract = "There is concern that public education about testicular cancer (TC) may cause unnecessary anxiety. Psychological theory suggests that if threat (eg, TC) information is accompanied with threat control strategies (eg, testicular self-examination; TSE) anxiety is less likely. Male students (N=443) were randomized to either a TC or TC +TSE information group or a no information control group, and assessed at three time points. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups and exposure to TC+TSE resulted in greater perceived message benefit, increased intention to self-examine and lower message denigration. This suggests TC information is not anxiogenic, but inclusion of TSE information may improve acceptance of disease awareness information.",

keywords = "Adult, Anxiety/etiology, Health Education, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Self-Examination/psychology, Testicular Neoplasms/diagnosis, Young Adult",

author = "Evans, \{Ruth EC\} and Beeken, \{Rebecca J\} and Andrew Steptoe and Jane Wardle",

year = "2012",

month = may,

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language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "579--89",

journal = "Journal of Health Psychology",

issn = "1359-1053",

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T2 - applying the extended parallel process model

AU - Evans, Ruth EC

AU - Beeken, Rebecca J

AU - Steptoe, Andrew

AU - Wardle, Jane

PY - 2012/5

Y1 - 2012/5

N2 - There is concern that public education about testicular cancer (TC) may cause unnecessary anxiety. Psychological theory suggests that if threat (eg, TC) information is accompanied with threat control strategies (eg, testicular self-examination; TSE) anxiety is less likely. Male students (N=443) were randomized to either a TC or TC +TSE information group or a no information control group, and assessed at three time points. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups and exposure to TC+TSE resulted in greater perceived message benefit, increased intention to self-examine and lower message denigration. This suggests TC information is not anxiogenic, but inclusion of TSE information may improve acceptance of disease awareness information.

AB - There is concern that public education about testicular cancer (TC) may cause unnecessary anxiety. Psychological theory suggests that if threat (eg, TC) information is accompanied with threat control strategies (eg, testicular self-examination; TSE) anxiety is less likely. Male students (N=443) were randomized to either a TC or TC +TSE information group or a no information control group, and assessed at three time points. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups and exposure to TC+TSE resulted in greater perceived message benefit, increased intention to self-examine and lower message denigration. This suggests TC information is not anxiogenic, but inclusion of TSE information may improve acceptance of disease awareness information.

KW - Adult

KW - Anxiety/etiology

KW - Health Education

KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Models, Psychological

KW - Self-Examination/psychology

KW - Testicular Neoplasms/diagnosis

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1177/1359105311421046

DO - 10.1177/1359105311421046

M3 - Article

C2 - 21914768

SN - 1359-1053

VL - 17

SP - 579

EP - 589

JO - Journal of Health Psychology

JF - Journal of Health Psychology

IS - 4

ER -

Cancer information and anxiety: applying the extended parallel process model

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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