Communicating Environmental Factors in Breast Cancer to the Public Charles K. Atkin, Kami J. Silk, & Sandi W. Smith Department of Communicatin Michigan State University
Dec 20, 2015
Communicating Environmental Factors in Breast Cancer to the Public
Charles K. Atkin, Kami J. Silk, & Sandi W. Smith
Department of Communicatin
Michigan State University
Project Funding• This research was made possible by the Breast
Cancer and the Environment Research Centers grant number 1-U01-ES12800 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, DHHS.
• The contents of this presentation are solely the responsibility of the presenter and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS or NCI, NIH.
Overview • Introduce Breast Cancer & Environment
Research Centers (BCERC)• Define transdisciplinary research • Present the precautionary principle as source of
tension• Identify challenges associated with
transdisciplinary model in the breast cancer context
BCERC• The National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the BCERC Network in 2003
• Four BCERC centers across the United States – Michigan State University– Fox Chase Cancer Center – University of Cincinnati – University of California, San Francisco
BCERC• Each Center has three cores
– Epidemiology*– Biology – Communication Outreach and Translation Core
• MSU’s Communication Department is part of the COTC
*MSU does not have an epidemiology core
BCERC Organizational Model
UC
MSU
UCSF
UP
COTC
BIO
EPISteering Committee
Working Group
BIO
EPI
COTC
EPI BIO COTC
BIO COTC
BCERC COTC
The overall goal for the COTC is to develop public health messages for:• young girls and women who are at high risk for
breast cancer • about the role(s) of specific environmental
stressors in breast cancer • and how to reduce exposures to these stressors
“Transdisciplinary” Defined
• Involves broadly constituted teams of researchers that work across disciplines (and community members) in the development of the research questions to be addressed.
• By definition, the research problem is beyond the scope of any individual discipline.
• Prominent interest in translating scientific knowledge into practical applications to benefit the public
(Source: Institute of Medicine)
Trans-Challenges and SolutionsChallenges• Integration• Time• Advocates and researchers
have different goals• Advocates as Volunteers• Evaluation• Funding
(Source: BCERC members)
Solutions• Conference calls/meetings• Input sought across projects• Committee structure• Shared authorship and
collaboration on writing projects
• An assumption of “synergy”• Funding grants longer than
5 years
Advocates as Partners
• Pivotal role in BCERC
• Volunteers
• Survivors
• Different goals than researchers
• Supporters of the precautionary principle
…“when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established by science
Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle, 1998
• Advocates strongly adhere to it• Potential conflict btw researchers & advocates• Implications for communicating risks
Precautionary Principle
Message Considerations
When is it time to share risks from emerging science?
How do we use the emotional context of breast cancer to influence risk reduction activities?
If puberty is a critical window of susceptibility for later risk of breast cancer, how do we communicate risks for young girls?
Range of Studies at MSU• Memorable messages• Health literacy/readability focus • Media & website content analyses • Focus Group research with moms and
daughters• Qualitative and quantitative testing of risk
messages for mothers
Sample Messages
Some Recommendations
• Need for more prevention messages– Precautionary principle
• Use of family and friends as sources – Especially mothers to daughters
• Improvement of television, newspaper, and website content about breast cancer is necessary– Increased talk of prevention – Increased discussion of environmental factors– Use clear and understandable language
Some RecommendationsMothers
• Clarify risk factors and provide information on how to accurately assess relative risks
• Encourage discussion with daughters, especially because they perceive schools are not informing girls on the issue
• Need an efficacy component to messages
• Incorporate their specific concerns
Daughters • Increase salience and self-efficacy
• Fear appeals inappropriate
• Link healthy lifestyle factors to other positive health outcomes
Some Recommendations
• Use both physicians and researchers as credible sources in messages
• Test messages for readability levels• Include website links in messages for further
information seeking• People see science as “truth”; communicate that
science is uncertain and emerging• Collaborate with a range of people to create and
disseminate messages
BCERC Informationwww.bcerc.org
MSU Research & Referenceswww.bcerc.msu.edu
Thank You