Those Aware of Climate Change's Health Impact Have More Interest in Cancer Screenings

TUESDAY, Dec. 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- There is a significant correlation between climate change health awareness and the desire for cancer screening, according to a brief communication published online Dec. 13 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Zhiyu Qian, M.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues explored the link between individuals' awareness of the health impacts of climate change and interest in cancer screening. The analysis included data from the 2021 Health Information National Trends Survey.

The researchers observed a statistically significant association between recognition of climate change as a personal health threat and interest in cancer screening. Odds of reporting interest in cancer screening were higher both among those who thought that climate change would harm their health "some" (adjusted odds ratio, 1.73) and those who thought climate change would harm their health "a lot" (adjusted odds ratio, 1.84).

"Cancer care is multidisciplinary and extremely complex. You need a well-functioning health care system for it to work," senior author Alexander P. Cole, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a statement. "Raising awareness is a big piece as is changing the health care system. There are so many exciting opportunities to do this through public awareness, health care delivery, and lifestyle and diet modifications where you can do things that are great for planetary health as well as for patients' health and cancer risk."

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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