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- Title
What do people fear about cancer? A systematic review and meta-synthesis of cancer fears in the general population.
- Authors
Vrinten, Charlotte; McGregor, Lesley M.; Heinrich, Małgorzata; Wagner, Christian; Waller, Jo; Wardle, Jane; Black, Georgia B.; Heinrich, Małgorzata; von Wagner, Christian
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Cancer has long inspired fear, but the effect of fear is not well understood; it seems both to facilitate and to deter early diagnosis behaviours. To elucidate fear's behavioural effects, we systematically reviewed and synthesised qualitative literature to explore what people fear about cancer.<bold>Methods: </bold>We searched Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, AnthroSource, and Anthrobase for studies on cancer fear in breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening and analysed 102 studies from 26 countries using thematic synthesis.<bold>Results: </bold>Fears of cancer emanated from a core view of cancer as a vicious, unpredictable, and indestructible enemy, evoking fears about its proximity, the (lack of) strategies to keep it at bay, the personal and social implications of succumbing, and fear of dying from cancer.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>This view of cancer as 'an enemy' reprises the media's 'war on cancer' theme and may affect the acceptance of cancer early detection and prevention messages, since cancer's characteristics influenced whether 'fight' or 'flight' was considered appropriate.
- Subjects
COLON cancer; META-analysis; CANCER diagnosis; EARLY detection of cancer; META-synthesis; SYSTEMATIC reviews; ANXIETY; TUMORS &; psychology; CERVIX uteri tumors; BREAST tumors; RECTUM tumors; COLON tumors; ADAPTABILITY (Personality); FEAR; RESEARCH funding; PSYCHOLOGY; CANCER &; psychology
- Publication
Psycho-Oncology, 2017, Vol 26, Issue 8, p1070
- ISSN
1057-9249
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1002/pon.4287