An Analysis of the Relationship between Public Cancer Screenings and Media Coverage of Cancer in South Korea 2009-2017
Title
An Analysis of the Relationship between Public Cancer Screenings and Media Coverage of Cancer in South Korea 2009-2017
Author(s)
An, Seohyun
; Lee, Gunho
Alternative Author(s)
안서현
; 이건호
Keyword
Cancer Coverage
; Cancer Screening
; Agenda-Setting Theory
; Information Accessibility
Publication Year
2022-03-31
Publisher
Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs
Citation
Health and Social Welfare Review Vol.42 No.1, pp.41-54
Abstract
With the increasing necessity of cancer screenings, this research intended to confirm the importance of online media’s role in promoting public cancer screenings in South Korea where cancer screenings are conducted as a part of an organized, population-based program. Agenda-setting theory, which is significant in investigating the relationship between media and the public as well as in monitoring fluctuation of media coverage and people’s health behavior, was used in order to analyze (a) the trends of public cancer screenings (the number of cancer screenings) and cancer coverage (the amount of cancer coverage), and (b) the relationship between media coverage and cancer screenings. Significant correlations were found both in general cancer issues and with the five main types of cancer issues: gastric, colorectal, liver, breast and cervical cancers. Furthermore, there was a notable difference according to the examinees’ economic status; the correlations for the upper 50% of the examinees were stronger than for the lower 50%. The difference in the public’s decisions regarding health behavior based on media indicates the importance of strategies tailored to individual economic conditions.