A study by IBS.GRANADA analyzes socioeconomic inequalities in beliefs and knowledge about cancer in the Spanish population.
- The research, published in the international journal Psycho-Oncology, reveals significant differences in beliefs about cancer based on socioeconomic status.
- People with a low socioeconomic status have less optimistic attitudes toward the disease and less knowledge about its symptoms and risk factors.
- False beliefs about the causes of cancer are highly prevalent in society, especially among disadvantaged groups, underscoring the need to improve the dissemination of evidence-based information.
Beliefs and knowledge about cancer play a key role in its prevention and early diagnosis. Furthermore, there are significant socioeconomic inequalities in this disease: people with lower socioeconomic status have a higher risk of developing certain cancers and being diagnosed at more advanced stages.
In this context, researchers from ibs.GRANADA and the University of Granada have analyzed data from two population-based surveys to assess how differences in beliefs and knowledge about cancer may contribute to these inequalities.
The study, based on nearly 5.800 people surveyed, shows that the most socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are less prepared to respond to the disease, as they have less knowledge about its symptoms and established risk factors.
The study also assessed beliefs in "mythical causes" of cancer, i.e., factors that have not been scientifically established as causes of cancer and are not included in cancer prevention recommendations, such as the use of cell phones, microwave ovens, or exposure to electromagnetic frequencies such as Wi-Fi. These erroneous beliefs were more common among people with lower socioeconomic status, who, at the same time, are unaware of well-established risk factors, such as alcohol consumption or low physical activity.
“It's critical to address these false beliefs, as they can interfere with effective cancer prevention, diverting attention from evidence-based risk factors and hindering efforts to reduce the disease,” says Dafina Petrova, Miguel Servet researcher at ibs.GRANADA and leader of this work.
"The study shows that people with a lower socioeconomic status tend to have a more pessimistic view of the consequences of suffering from cancer. This could be due to previous experiences with family, friends, or people in their lives who have had poor outcomes after diagnosis," the researcher comments.
According to María José Sánchez, principal investigator of the research group that led the study, these inequalities highlight the need to improve the communication of rigorous, verified, and evidence-based information on cancer prevention, especially among people with lower health literacy or those in less fortunate economic situations. “By following the healthy lifestyle recommendations promoted by various scientific societies—such as not smoking, not consuming alcohol, maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding obesity, and exercising—up to 40% of new cancer cases could be prevented,” emphasizes Dr. Sánchez.
The project was made possible thanks to funding from the Spanish Association Against Cancer and included collaboration with researchers from the Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), the Biomedical Research Network in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
About the research group
The research groupEpidemiology, Prevention and Control of CancerThe ibs.GRANADA Research Group, led by María José Sánchez Pérez, is also the institute's scientific director. It is a research group founded in 1985. It includes researchers from the Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), CIBERESP, and the University of Granada. They have extensive training and experience in a variety of fields: oncology, cancer epidemiology, statistics, health economics, environmental epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology, public health, and psychology. The group has participated in multicenter, national, and international research projects related to the etiology, healthcare, social inequalities, and survival of cancer patients, as well as environmental epidemiology and health economics.
More information about the group at https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/a17-epidemiologia-cancer/
Bibliographic reference:
Galicia Pacheco SI, Catena A, Sánchez MJ, Rueda MD, Aljarilla Sánchez L, Costas L, Garrido D, Garcia‐Retamero R, Espina C, Rodríguez‐Barranco M, Petrova D. Socio‐Economic Inequalities in Beliefs About Cancer and its Causes: Evidence From two Population Surveys. Psycho‐Oncology. 2024 Dec;33(12):e70035. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70035
