Cervical cancer disproportionately affects those in lower socio-economic groups. Mass media, including newspapers, are an important source of information about disease and how to prevent it. An analysis of UK national newspaper content between 2000 and 2009 is reported, assessing the extent to which information is provided about early signs and symptoms, risk factors and ways of preventing cervical cancer. The messages in newspapers targeted at readers in lower socio-economic groups are compared with the messages in other newspapers, and the impact of reporting the illness and death of the reality TV star, Jade Goody, on the level of medical information contained in articles is assessed. Tabloid or 'popular' newspapers are found to provide more information about early signs and symptoms, and no less information about risk factors, when compared with broadsheets or 'serious' papers. This is due to their greater use of personal stories of people with cervical cancer. The Jade Goody story was associated with an increase in information about early signs and symptoms, and about screening, but not (with the exception of the role played by social deprivation) about risk factors. Suggestions about how to approach public education via an entertainment format in mass media are made.
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.