Myths About Cancer Risk Abound

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"Related to these misconceptions were people who were underserved in terms of socioeconomic status and education," he said. "People who don't have the opportunities to hear public health messages are more likely to hold these beliefs," he added.

"We need to do a better job of providing reliable accurate health information to these groups," Stein said. He also believes that misconceptions about other medical conditions are likely to be seen among the same groups.

Some people may hold these misconceptions to justify their own behavior, Stein said, noting also that studies show people who engage in risky behaviors like smoking tend to underestimate the risks.

One expert said that better education can help dispel the myths.

"The public understanding of cancer risk suffers from important gaps and misconceptions," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.

"In some cases, cancer risk is exaggerated; American women believe breast cancer is the leading cause of death among them, but heart disease kills fully 10 times as many women," Katz said.

He added, "Some potential risk factors, such as pesticide residues on foods, are exaggerated, while others, such as cigarette smoking or excessive sun exposure, don't get the full respect they deserve."

This study confirms that the misconceptions are greatest in socioeconomically challenged populations, Katz said. "The population at greatest risk of cancer seems to know the least about the disease, and how to prevent it," he said.

"Among the important disparities in our country is access to reliable, understandable health information," Katz added. "To empower people to protect themselves from cancer, we must arm them with accurate information."

More information

For more information on cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.