The impact of objective/sensationalist media on young women’s concern and misconceptions about breast cancer: an experimental study

This study provides experimental evidence that sensationalist media increases concern and contributes to misconceptions about breast cancer. Concern and misconceptions may by further exacerbated when sensationalist messages feature a young woman as a cancer patient, thus offering a distorted view of the women typically diagnosed with breast cancer. Overall, participants revealed important misconceptions about breast cancer, which has significant implications for preventive behaviors and health communication.