Rural-urban differences in cancer worry, beliefs, and attitudes towards research progress

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cancer Research
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Rural populations face worse cancer outcomes compared to urban counterparts.
• Existing research on rural-urban differences in cancer beliefs predates the COVID-19 pandemic and associated healthcare disruptions.
• Understanding current cancer-related worries and beliefs in rural vs. urban populations is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate rural-urban differences in cancer-related worries and beliefs in the U.S.
• To assess associations between rurality and cancer worry, information overload, fatalistic beliefs, and perceptions of cancer research progress.
• To examine these differences post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 9,301 U.S. adults (1,234 rural) from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) Rounds 5 & 6 (2020, 2022).
• Multivariate regression models were used to estimate associations between rurality and key cancer beliefs and worries.
• Sociodemographic characteristics were considered in the analysis.

Main Results:

• Rural and urban residents reported similar levels of cancer worry, information overload, and fatalistic beliefs.
• Unadjusted analyses showed rural residents had higher perceived risk of developing cancer and lower hopeful views on cancer research.
• After adjustment, perceived cancer risk differences were attenuated, but rural residents still reported significantly lower optimism about cancer progress and research.

Conclusions:

• Most cancer worries and beliefs are similar between rural and urban adults.
• Rural residents consistently show lower optimism regarding cancer research progress.
• Disparities in trust, visibility, or engagement with scientific advances may explain these differences, necessitating targeted communication strategies.