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Race, Ethnicity, Language, Social Class, and Health Communication Inequalities: A Nationally-Representative Cross-Sectional Study

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  • Kasisomayajula Viswanath
  • Leland K Ackerson

Abstract

Background: While mass media communications can be an important source of health information, there are substantial social disparities in health knowledge that may be related to media use. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the use of cancer-related health communications is patterned by race, ethnicity, language, and social class. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a nationally-representative cross-sectional telephone survey, 5,187 U.S. adults provided information about demographic characteristics, cancer information seeking, and attention to and trust in health information from television, radio, newspaper, magazines, and the Internet. Cancer information seeking was lowest among Spanish-speaking Hispanics (odds ratio: 0.42; 95% confidence interval: 0.28–0.63) compared to non-Hispanic whites. Spanish-speaking Hispanics were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to pay attention to (odds ratio: 3.10; 95% confidence interval: 2.07–4.66) and trust (odds ratio: 2.61; 95% confidence interval: 1.53–4.47) health messages from the radio. Non-Hispanic blacks were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to pay attention to (odds ratio: 2.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.88–3.04) and trust (odds ratio: 2.16; 95% confidence interval: 1.61–2.90) health messages on television. Those who were college graduates tended to pay more attention to health information from newspapers (odds ratio: 1.98; 95% confidence interval: 1.42–2.75), magazines (odds ratio: 1.86; 95% confidence interval: 1.32–2.60), and the Internet (odds ratio: 4.74; 95% confidence interval: 2.70–8.31) and had less trust in cancer-related health information from television (odds ratio: 0.44; 95% confidence interval: 0.32–0.62) and radio (odds ratio: 0.54; 95% confidence interval: 0.34–0.86) compared to those who were not high school graduates. Conclusions/Significance: Health media use is patterned by race, ethnicity, language and social class. Providing greater access to and enhancing the quality of health media by taking into account factors associated with social determinants may contribute to addressing social disparities in health.

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  • Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Leland K Ackerson, 2011. "Race, Ethnicity, Language, Social Class, and Health Communication Inequalities: A Nationally-Representative Cross-Sectional Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0014550
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014550
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    1. Freimuth, V.S. & Quinn, S.C., 2004. "The contributions of health communication to eliminating health disparities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(12), pages 2053-2055.
    2. Cotten, Shelia R & Gupta, Sipi S, 2004. "Characteristics of online and offline health information seekers and factors that discriminate between them," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(9), pages 1795-1806, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ningyuan Guo & Ziqiu Guo & Shengzhi Zhao & Sai Yin Ho & Daniel Yee Tak Fong & Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai & Sophia Siu-chee Chan & Man Ping Wang & Tai Hing Lam, 2021. "Digital inequalities in health information seeking behaviors and experiences in the age of web 2.0: A population-based study in Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Li, LiLi & Zeng, Yiwu & Zhang, Zhonggen, 2020. "Impact of Internet use on Health outcomes of Rural Residents: Evidence from China," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304177, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Man Ping Wang & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Tai Hing Lam & Xin Wang & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Social Determinants of Health Information Seeking among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-7, August.
    4. Steven Ramondt & A. Susana Ramírez, 2020. "Media Reporting on Air Pollution: Health Risk and Precautionary Measures in National and Regional Newspapers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-10, September.
    5. Lei Yang & Yuping Mao & Jeroen Jansz, 2018. "Chinese Urban Hui Muslims’ Access to and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Diseases-Related Health Information from Different Sources," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Sato, Koryu & Viswanath, Kasisomayajula & Hayashi, Hana & Ishikawa, Yoshiki & Kondo, Katsunori & Shirai, Kokoro & Kondo, Naoki & Nakagawa, Keisuke & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2019. "Association between exposure to health information and mortality: Reduced mortality among women exposed to information via TV programs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 124-131.
    7. Yoshiki Ishikawa & Hiromu Nishiuchi & Hana Hayashi & Kasisomayajula Viswanath, 2012. "Socioeconomic Status and Health Communication Inequalities in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-9, July.
    8. Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga & Ana L. Oaxaca & Matt A. Barreto & Gabriel R. Sanchez, 2021. "Spanish-Language News Consumption and Latino Reactions to COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    9. Lei Yang & Yuping Mao & Jeroen Jansz, 2019. "Understanding the Chinese Hui Ethnic Minority’s Information Seeking on Cardiovascular Diseases: A Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, August.
    10. Man Ping Wang & Xin Wang & Tai Hing Lam & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Health Information Seeking Partially Mediated the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Self-Rated Health among Hong Kong Chinese," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(12), pages 1-7, December.
    11. Rohini Chakravarthy & Sarah C Stallings & Michael Williams & Megan Hollister & Mario Davidson & Juan Canedo & Consuelo H Wilkins, 2020. "Factors influencing precision medicine knowledge and attitudes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, November.

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