世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1][part 2]

The Cabinet Office Japan recently published the results of a survey they performed into cancer issues.

Demographics

Between the 13th and 23th of September 2007 3,000 adults selected at random from the whole Japanese population were visited for the purpose of face-to-face interviews. 1,767 people, or 58.9% were available and consented to be interviewed. 53.6% were female, 9.4% were in their twenties, 16.6% in their thirties, 15.1% in their forties, 19.9% in their fifties, 21.6% in their sixties, and 17.3% aged seventy or older. Furthermore, 74.3% had either themselves had cancer or had had family, relations or close colleagues who had experienced cancer.

Once again there is a complete failure to mention the cancer that in 2020 will become the second most common cancer in Japan for men, namely prostate cancer, according to official projections of incidence of cancer amongst the general population. Breast cancer is much more sexy, as it were, for television, as even women would agree they’d much prefer to watch a mammary gland self-examination than a prostate one…

In Q2, I was suprised by the high percentage of people not eating burnt food – I thought the risks from this were rather minimal, but I suppose rather safe than sorry. I don’t really know what the mold one is though.

Research results

Q1: What is your impression of cancer? (Sample size=1,767)

Not scary	14.3%
Not really scary	9.7%
Can’t say either way	10.5%
A little scary	18.4%
Scary	46.7%
Don’t know	0.5%

Q2: What are you doing in your daily life to prevent cancer? (Sample size=1,767, multiple answer)

Don’t smoke, giving up smoking	41.4%
Try to eat balanced meals	38.8%
Don’t eat burnt bits	38.4%
Watch out for mold	34.5%
Reduce salt intake	31.4%
Get regular cancer screening	29.7%
Drink moderately	29.3%
Take some exercise	28.1%
Keep body clean	27.4%
Avoid eating fat	26.5%
Don’t overeat	24.4%
Eat food with enough vitamins and lots of fibre	24.1%
Try not to get too much sun	18.1%
Try to vary menu every day	16.2%
Let food cool before eating	13.1%
Other	1.6%
Nothing in particular	16.5%

The survey question did say “prevent”, although the activities would be more correctly described as reducing one’s risk factors for contracting cancer.

Q3: From where do you get general information about causes and prevention of cancer? (Sample size=1,767, multiple answer)

Television, radio programs	70.5%
Newspapers	48.0%
Friends	31.6%
Posters, pamphlets	25.6%
Magazines	20.1%
Internet	10.5%
Books	8.5%
Other	2.0%
Nowhere in particular	4.8%
Don’t know	0.1%

Q4: The National Cancer Centre provides not just information on causes and prevention of cancer but also information on hospitals and explanations of treatment methods, etc, and a Cancer Information Service site on the internet. Did you know about this? (Sample size=1,767, multiple answer)

Have made use of the information	2.7%
Haven’t used them, but know about it	17.4%
Don’t know about it	78.9%
Don’t know	1.0%

Q5: Do you think that cancer screening is important because it can detect early cancer signs, and allow early treatment? (Sample size=1,767)

Think so	81.9%
Perhaps think so	12.8%
Not sure either way	2.7%
Perhaps don’t think so	1.2%
Don’t think so at all	0.9%
Don’t know	0.5%

Q6A: Have you had stomach cancer screening? (Sample size=1,767)

Within the last year	29.5%
Within the last two years	7.9%
More than two years ago	15.9%
Never	46.2%
Don’t know	0.4%

Q6B: Have you had lung cancer screening? (Sample size=1,767)

Within the last year	34.7%
Within the last two years	4.5%
More than two years ago	8.0%
Never	52.0%
Don’t know	0.8%

Q6C: Have you had colon cancer screening? (including stool tests) (Sample size=1,767)

Within the last year	27.1%
Within the last two years	5.3%
More than two years ago	12.0%
Never	54.7%
Don’t know	0.9%

Q6D: Have you had uterus cancer screening? (Sample size=947, women only)

Within the last year	29.1%
Within the last two years	9.8%
More than two years ago	22.4%
Never	37.9%
Don’t know	0.7%

Q6E: Have you had breast cancer screening? (Sample size=947, women only)

Within the last year	23.7%
Within the last two years	8.8%
More than two years ago	16.3%
Never	50.2%
Don’t know	1.2%

Q6F: Have you had other cancer screening? (Sample size=1,767)

Within the last year	9.1%
Within the last two years	1.4%
More than two years ago	3.7%
Never	78.7%
Don’t know	7.2%

Q6SQ1: Regarding these cancer screenings, what was the main occasions for taking up the examinations? (Sample size=1,253, those having had cancer screenings within the last two years, multiple answer)

Local government mass screening	28.7%
Local government individual screening	14.1%
Workplace mass screening	27.8%
Workplace individual screening	12.4%
Recommendation by doctor	25.2%
Chose to attending “Human Dock” screening at local hospital	13.6%
Other	3.8%
Don’t know	0.8%

Q6SQ2: Why have you not gone for cancer screening recently? (Sample size=1,584, those not having had cancer screening within the last two years, multiple answer)

Just haven’t got round to it	28.8%
Have confidence in my health, so didn’t feel it was necessary	17.3%
If I have a worry I can go to the doctor any time	16.9%
Didn’t have time	15.9%
Bothersome to get examination	15.4%
Not at the age where it’s needed	11.6%
Don’t feel it’s necessary to go every year	10.3%
Couldn’t afford it	7.6%
Don’t want to take because worried about the results	5.2%
Worried about the examination being painful, etc	4.6%
Didn’t know about screening	4.5%
Too far to go	1.3%
Other	5.5%
No particular reason	7.7%

[part 1][part 2]