Drinking on television: a content analysis of recent alcohol portrayal.

The portrayal of alcohol on British television was examined in a systematic sample of 50 programmes broadcast in 1988. Nearly three-quarters of the programmes contained visual or verbal references to alcohol. On average, there was a reference to alcohol in every six and a half minutes of programming. Alcohol was most prominently featured in fictional programmes, particularly in one soap opera, Eastenders. A third of the programmes showed specific brands of alcohol. It is estimated that the portrayal of alcohol in Britain's most popular programmes is worth pounds 487 million of free promotion to the alcohol industry per annum. Nevertheless, in comparison with an earlier study, carried out in 1986, there appeared to be fewer alcohol images. A number of recommendations are made for further action and monitoring of alcohol portrayal.

Public opinion on alcohol policies.

In recent years leading authorities and organizations have been recommending policies to combat alcohol abuse. These policies range from restrictions on availability to curbs on drinking and driving. However, the policies have not been presented in any priority order, nor is it clear how acceptable they will be to the general public. This report sets out public opinion on 21 key policies and looks at recent changes in public support in this area. It shows that there are a wide range of policies on alcohol which are well supported by the general public. It seems that the vast majority of both drinkers and non-drinkers would like to see more detailed labelling on alcoholic drinks, further action in the area of drinking and driving, the promotion of alternatives to alcohol in pubs, a levy on alcohol advertising, bans on the sale of alcohol at a variety of sports meetings, more alcohol education in schools and stricter enforcement of the laws on under-age drinking. In addition, the survey reveals greater public support for restrictions on the promotion of alcohol and the introduction of random breath testing, than had been found one year previously. It is suggested that these findings could be used for setting an agenda on the implementation of policies to reduce alcohol abuse.

Breast self-examination: how committed are women? How committed are we?

Breast self-examination (BSE), increasingly promoted as a good health habit, is gaining recognition by surgeons as a significant factor in tumour size and staging at diagnosis. Clinically-based reports leave unanswered important behavioural questions and pay scant attention to the quality of the teaching or of the practice of BSE. This paper argues that if BSE is to be used as the coarse-screening modality of which it seems to be capable, we must apply to it the same criteria as to other screening modalities. Since BSE ipso facto must be undertaken by the women herself, it is a screening in which subject behaviour is crucial. Promotion of BSE requires not only behaviour change but also maintenance and support. Behavioural aspects are discussed in relation to a recent major study of the teaching and practice of BSE.

Synthesising research findings and practical experience to formulate principles in cervical screening.

Compared particularly with Scandinavian countries, the effects of cervical screening in the United Kingdom have been disappointing, both in terms of women screened and in relation to incidence and mortality. The underlying problem is the under-representation of women most at risk of cervical cancer in the screened population. In this paper we examine two possible hypotheses for such under-representation: one concerns the behavioural aspects of women's failure to attend and the second the effect of the organisation of current screening services on their attendance. We outline the features that an effective service would need to incorporate and propose principles for the development of a screening system designed to maximise the potential of the cervical smear test.

Treatment delay in patients with bladder tumours.

Previous work has shown that the hospitals are the most important source of delay in treatment of bladder cancer rather than the patient or the general practitioner. We have studied referral of patients for investigation and treatment in the North West Region using data from the cancer registry. Delay in treatment for this disease is appreciably longer than for the other common cancers we have studied. Various factors associated with speed of treatment are discussed.

Attendance for cervical screening--whose problem?

Despite the existence of an effective screening technique for cancer of the cervix, incidence and mortality from this disease have not declined in the United Kingdom. The basic problem is that women most at risk of the disease are under-represented in the screened population. The evidence for two different points of view to explain this situation is examined. These viewpoints are the failure of the women to attend, and the failure of the service to meet the needs of women. This paper argues that the evidence supports the view that the organisation of the existing screening service impedes the maximum participation of at-risk women. We discuss the features that an effective service needs to incorporate, and put forward principles for the development of a more effective screening system, namely, that it should be provider-initiated and user-oriented.

Public and professional aspects of the use of education in the control and prevention of cancer.

Studies of educational programs designed to encourage (i) regular systematic breast self-examination and (ii) participation in cervical screening programs demonstrate the necessity for precision in defining and evaluating cancer education aims and methods. Preteaching and postteaching and one-year follow-up data from both studies compare the immediate and longer-term effects of teaching on opinions and knowledge and relate these to behavior.

Breast screening by breast self-examination: an evaluation of teaching methods and materials.

A base-line survey of women's opinions on breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) suggested a link between high awareness of BSE and a view of breast cancer as the most worrying illness they could suffer. Data from pre-teaching questionnaires compares awareness of and performance of BSE with six opinions related to the vulnerability of women to breast cancer and to possible outcomes. Inferences from statistically significant associations, which also replicated survey findings, led to the development of three alternative models of teaching methods. The findings also suggest that "concern" is a more accurate term than "anxiety" in describing perceptions of vulnerability and of BSE.