TY - JOUR
T1 - Trusting information on cancer varies by source of information and political viewpoint
AU - Stimpson, Jim P.
AU - Park, Sungchul
AU - Pruitt, Sandi L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - Purpose: This study investigated how trusting information on cancer varies by the source of information and political viewpoint. Methods: This study used cross-sectional survey data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). The study comprised a sample of 2949 adults 18 years and older. The outcome variable was measured by assessing respondents’ trust in cancer-related information from various sources, including religious organizations and leaders, government health agencies, charitable organizations, family or friends, and doctors. Political viewpoint was measured as liberal, moderate, and conservative. Multivariate linear probability models were estimated and adjusted for individual-level characteristics. Results: Multivariate analysis found that conservatives (73%, 95% CI = 68–78%) were significantly less likely to trust information on cancer from government health agencies compared to liberals (84%, 95% CI = 80–88%). There was no statistically significant difference in trusting government health agencies between liberals and moderates (80%, 95% CI = 76–84%). Both moderates (27%, 95% CI = 21–34%) and conservatives (34%, 95% CI = 29–39%) were more likely to trust information on cancer from religious organizations and leaders compared to liberals (19%, 95% CI = 13–24%). The relationship between political viewpoint and trust of doctors, family or friends, and charitable organizations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Compared to liberals, conservatives are more likely to trust information on cancer from religious organizations and leaders and less likely to trust government health agencies when adjusting for other covariates. This finding emphasizes the role of political viewpoint in shaping individuals’ perceptions of information sources and cancer-related information.
AB - Purpose: This study investigated how trusting information on cancer varies by the source of information and political viewpoint. Methods: This study used cross-sectional survey data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). The study comprised a sample of 2949 adults 18 years and older. The outcome variable was measured by assessing respondents’ trust in cancer-related information from various sources, including religious organizations and leaders, government health agencies, charitable organizations, family or friends, and doctors. Political viewpoint was measured as liberal, moderate, and conservative. Multivariate linear probability models were estimated and adjusted for individual-level characteristics. Results: Multivariate analysis found that conservatives (73%, 95% CI = 68–78%) were significantly less likely to trust information on cancer from government health agencies compared to liberals (84%, 95% CI = 80–88%). There was no statistically significant difference in trusting government health agencies between liberals and moderates (80%, 95% CI = 76–84%). Both moderates (27%, 95% CI = 21–34%) and conservatives (34%, 95% CI = 29–39%) were more likely to trust information on cancer from religious organizations and leaders compared to liberals (19%, 95% CI = 13–24%). The relationship between political viewpoint and trust of doctors, family or friends, and charitable organizations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Compared to liberals, conservatives are more likely to trust information on cancer from religious organizations and leaders and less likely to trust government health agencies when adjusting for other covariates. This finding emphasizes the role of political viewpoint in shaping individuals’ perceptions of information sources and cancer-related information.
KW - Cancer
KW - Consumer health information
KW - Cross-sectional study
KW - Politics
KW - Trust
KW - United States
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U2 - 10.1007/s10552-023-01786-9
DO - 10.1007/s10552-023-01786-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 37651005
AN - SCOPUS:85169164124
SN - 0957-5243
VL - 35
SP - 177
EP - 184
JO - Cancer Causes and Control
JF - Cancer Causes and Control
IS - 1
ER -