A study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows how celebrity endorsements of cancer screening influence people -- perhaps in harmful ways.
The authors write: "Whether to undergo cancer screening is a complex decision - early detection of cancer will help some people, but it can create problems for others, such as unnecessary testing and treatment. Consequently, screening is increasingly recognized as a two-edged sword." But the celeb endorsements don't present both sides. They "typically consist of one-sided messages that either assert that the celebrity's life was saved by a cancer screening test (Rudy Giuliani example) or suggest that the life of a loved one was lost due to a failure to be screened (Katie Couric example)."
The authors conclude: "The goal should not be to persuade but to inform. Thus, we see no obvious role for celebrity endorsement of cancer screening."
Posted by schwitz at May 16, 2005 07:58 AM | TrackBack