Download 2009 Risk Awareness Survey

AICR’s Biennial Cancer Risk Awareness Survey
Methodology:
The AICR Cancer Risk Awareness Survey has been conducted every two years
since 2001. Americans aged 18 and older are telephoned at random on behalf of
AICR by International Communications Management (ICR) using the EXCEL
omnibus service.
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The first survey was conducted in May of 2001 and involved 750
Americans aged 18 and older who were telephoned at random. Margin of
error: +/- 3 percent.
The second survey was conducted in May of 2003 and involved 1,025
Americans aged 18 and older who were telephoned at random. Margin of
error: +/- 2 percent.
The third survey was conducted in May of 2005 and involved 1,010
Americans aged 18 and older who were telephoned at random. Margin of
error: +/- 2 percent.
The fourth survey was conducted in August of 2007 and involved 1,022
Americans aged 18 and older who were telephoned at random. Margin of
error: +/- 2 percent.
The most recent survey was conducted in August of 2009 and involved
1,021 Americans aged 18 and older who were telephoned at random.
Margin of error +/- 2 percent.
Raw survey data tables – including breakdowns by sex, age, income, metro
status and race, available upon request.
For more detailed questions on survey methodology, contact John DeWolf at
ICR: [email protected], (484) 840-4451.
TS
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ED
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ES
52
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E
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50
O
ET
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90
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90
VE
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IN
EX
W
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E
C
A
TO
94
LA
C
TS
ES
S
D
IE
EX
C
% of Americans who Believe it to be a Cause of Cancer
2009 Cancer Risk Awareness:
Overview
100
87
80
70
60
51
46
40
38
30
20
10
0
TOBACCO
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
92
91
91
93
94
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
60
40
20
0
Year
Trend
Holding steady.
AICR’s Take
Evidence regarding tobacco’s role in cancer risk is outside the scope of our
Expert Report and was not judged by the expert panel. Other reports have
convincingly linked tobacco to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus,
lung, pancreas and bladder.
CANCER GENES
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
89
87
88
88
90
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
40
20
0
Year
Trend
Holding steady.
AICR’s Take
Evidence regarding the role of genetics in cancer risk is outside the scope of the
Expert Report and was not judged by the expert panel. Other reports have
estimated that only about five to ten percent of all cancers can be attributed to a
genetic predisposition.
The panel notes that individuals who do inherit BRCA1, APC, p53 or other
“cancer genes” can significantly reduce their risk by making healthy changes to
diet, level of physical activity, and weight.
EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE TO THE SUN
Percentage of
Am ericans w ho
Believe it to be a
Cause of Cancer
100
80
60
40
90
88
88
90
87
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
20
0
Year
Trend
Holding steady.
AICR’s Take
Evidence regarding the role of sun exposure to cancer risk is outside the scope
of our Expert Report and was not judged by the expert panel. Other reports have
consistently linked sun exposure to skin cancer.
DIETS LOW IN VEGETABLES, FRUIT
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
40
20
46
42
43
49
52
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
0
Year
Trend
Rising; over 50% for the first time in the history of the survey.
AICR’s Take
Evidence linking the consumption of vegetables and fruits to lower risk was judged
probable for the following cancers:
 Colon
 Pharynx
 Rectum
 Larynx
 Lung
 Esophagus
 Stomach
 Pancreas
 Mouth
Evidence of cancer-protection from vegetables and fruits was judged limited, but
suggestive for cancers of the ovary and endometrium.
OBESITY
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
40
20
35
45
44
46
51
2003
2005
2007
2009
0
2001
Year
Trend
Rising; over 50% for the first time in the history of the survey.
AICR’s Take
The strong link between obesity and cancer is one of the key findings of the
AICR expert report.
There is convincing evidence that excess body fat is a cause of the following
cancers:
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Colon
Rectum
Breast (Post-menopause)
Endometrium
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
Pancreas
Kidney
Esophagus
The evidence that excess body fat is a cause of gallbladder cancer was
judged probable.
Limited, but suggestive evidence links excess body fat to liver cancer.
WHAT THE PANEL’S JUDGMENTS MEAN
Convincing
Evidence is strong, consistent and unlikely to change in the future
Probable
Evidence is compelling, with an overall consistency, but less strong than
"convincing"
Limited Evidence – Suggestive
Evidence is too limited for a grade of "probable", but a general consistency
in the data exists
Limited Evidence – No Conclusion
Too inconsistent or insufficient for a definitive grade
ALCOHOL
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
40
20
42
38
33
37
2001
2003
2005
2007
46
0
2009
Year
Trend
Rising.
AICR’s Take
There is convincing evidence that alcohol is a cause of the following cancers:
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Colon (men)
Rectum (men)
Breast (Both pre- and postmenopausal)
Esophagus
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Mouth
Larynx
Pharynx
The evidence that alcohol is also a cause of liver cancer and a cause of colon
and rectal cancer in women and was judged probable.
LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
40
20
35
36
35
2001
2003
2005
43
46
2007
2009
0
Year
Trend
Rising.
AICR’s Take
Physical activity seems to protect against cancer both directly (by helping to
regulate the body’s hormone levels) and indirectly (by helping to prevent buildup
of excess body fat, itself a convincing cause of several cancers.)
There is convincing evidence that physical activity protects against colon
cancer.
Evidence linking physical activity to lower risk of post-menopausal breast
cancer and endometrial cancer was judged probable.
Limited, but suggestive evidence links physical activity to lower risk for
premenopausal breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and lung cancer.
DIETS HIGH IN RED MEAT
100
Percentage of
Americans who Believe
it to be a Cause of
Cancer
80
60
40
20
39
33
30
36
38
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
0
Year
Trend
Rising slightly.
The evidence is convincing that diets high in red meat are a cause of colon
and rectal cancer.
The evidence linking red meat to cancers of the esophagus, lung,
endometrium and pancreas is limited, but suggestive.
Cancer: Most Feared, Least Understood Health Issue
The AICR survey also revealed that Americans rate cancer as their #1 health
concern. Thirty-seven percent of respondents named cancer their top concern
compared to 21 percent who cited heart attack, 12 percent who cited diabetes
and 8 percent who cited stroke.
Percentage of Americans Who Rate it
Their #1 Health Concern
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Cancer
Heart Attack
Adult Diabetes
Stroke
But only 20 percent of respondents rated cancer a highly preventable disease,
compared to for 34 percent for stroke, for 45 percent for heart attack and for
46 percent for diabetes.