Effect of Media Coverage and Physician Advice on Utilization of Breast Cancer Screening by Women 40 Years and Older

This research examines the relative importance of mass media coverage and physician advice in promoting mammography screening among women aged 40 and older. Using time-series regression analysis, the study analyzed 36 consecutive months of national-level data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) combined with content analysis of mammography-related news coverage from seven major newspapers between 1989-1991. The researchers tested five theoretical models of how media coverage and physician advice might interact to influence health behavior: competition, functional alternative, complementary, reinforcement, and mediation models.

The study found that both communication channels significantly affected mammography-seeking behavior, with physician advice accounting for approximately 30% of variance in screening behavior and media coverage contributing 13% when analyzed separately. Content analysis revealed that 93% of mammography-related news items were favorable toward screening, and when both channels were considered together, they accounted for 51% of the variance in mammography utilization. The research demonstrated that media coverage and physician advice operated independently of each other rather than one mediating the effects of the other.

Results provided strongest support for the complementary model of communication effectiveness, revealing a division of labor between the two channels. Physician advice was particularly influential for women with regular access to healthcare providers, accounting for 36% of variance in screening behavior among this group. In contrast, media coverage played a more significant role for women without regular physician access, contributing 15.5% of variance in screening behavior among women who were less likely to receive medical recommendations. These findings suggest that mass media and physician advice complement rather than compete with each other in promoting preventive health behaviors.