Cancer information seeking in the digital age: Effects of angelina jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement

Seth M. Noar; Benjamin M. Althouse; John W. Ayers; Diane B. Francis; Kurt M. Ribisl

doi:10.1177/0272989X14556130

Cancer information seeking in the digital age: Effects of angelina jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement

Seth M. Noar
, Benjamin M. Althouse
, John W. Ayers
, Diane B. Francis
, Kurt M. Ribisl

Communication

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective. This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking.

Methods. We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States.

Results. Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35% (95% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165% (95% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52% (95% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154% (95% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900% (95% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812% [95% CI, 402-3913] and 2625% [95% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week.

Conclusion. Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	16-21
Number of pages	6
Journal	Medical Decision Making
Volume	35
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X14556130
State	Published - Jan 20 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 The Author(s).

Funding

Financial support for this study was provided by a grant from University Cancer Research Fund and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The funding agreement ensured the authors’ independence in designing the study, interpreting the data, writing, and publishing the report. The following author(s) are employed by the sponsor: Seth M. Noar and Kurt M. Ribisl. Benjamin Althouse and John Ayers share an equity stake in a consulting group, Directing Medicine, which helps others implement some of the ideas embodied in this work.

Funders
University Cancer Research Fund

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

breast cancer
cancer communication
cancer information seeking
digital surveillance
genetic testing
prophylactic mastectomy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health Policy

Access to Document

10.1177/0272989X14556130

Cite this

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title = "Cancer information seeking in the digital age: Effects of angelina jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement",

abstract = "Objective. This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking.Methods. We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States.Results. Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112\% (95\% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35\% (95\% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165\% (95\% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52\% (95\% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154\% (95\% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900\% (95\% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812\% [95\% CI, 402-3913] and 2625\% [95\% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week.Conclusion. Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age.",

keywords = "breast cancer, cancer communication, cancer information seeking, digital surveillance, genetic testing, prophylactic mastectomy",

author = "Noar, \{Seth M.\} and Althouse, \{Benjamin M.\} and Ayers, \{John W.\} and Francis, \{Diane B.\} and Ribisl, \{Kurt M.\}",

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AU - Noar, Seth M.

AU - Althouse, Benjamin M.

AU - Ayers, John W.

AU - Francis, Diane B.

AU - Ribisl, Kurt M.

PY - 2015/1/20

Y1 - 2015/1/20

N2 - Objective. This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking.Methods. We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States.Results. Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35% (95% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165% (95% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52% (95% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154% (95% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900% (95% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812% [95% CI, 402-3913] and 2625% [95% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week.Conclusion. Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age.

AB - Objective. This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking.Methods. We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States.Results. Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35% (95% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165% (95% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52% (95% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154% (95% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900% (95% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812% [95% CI, 402-3913] and 2625% [95% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week.Conclusion. Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age.

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KW - cancer communication

KW - cancer information seeking

KW - digital surveillance

KW - genetic testing

KW - prophylactic mastectomy

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Cancer information seeking in the digital age: Effects of angelina jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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