Researchers have identified that humour could be key to encouraging more screenings for colon cancer but with so much information online, how can we stay reliably informed about our health?

Researchers in the UK have found that humour could be the key to encouraging people to go for preventative screenings for colorectal cancer. Dr Heather Oram, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo, told The Independent that there has been an uptick of interest in information avoidance since the Covid pandemic. A big part of health researchers' roles is to determine how health messages should be publicised, but reaching “information avoiders” presents a bigger challenge.

Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer, is the world’s second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Symptoms include changes in bowel habits, blood in poo, abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss. It affects mostly men, and the risk increases with age, though genetics and lifestyle factors can also play a part. 

The latest research comes two years after the age to start screening for colon cancer was lowered from 50 to 45 years old, and a previous study revealed that 20% of people may avoid information about colorectal cancer. 

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What is information avoidance?

Information avoidance refers to the intentional act of delaying obtaining information, putting off appointments or avoiding information that might be undesirable. According to a 2022 study published in the journal Healthcare, health information can be a burden and source of anxiety for many people, leading to health information refusal.

 

Having more knowledge of health can help people identify symptoms, receive early diagnoses and lower the risk of disease. This latest research, crowdsourced by UK company, Prolific, aimed to identify whether taking a humorous approach to colon cancer messaging might encourage people to talk more openly about it. 

In 2023, 800 participants aged between 45 and 75 took part in two tests. The first involved them reviewing a humorous comic, cute animals and a coping message and were then asked if they would like to take a quiz to assess their risk of colon cancer. The second test asked people to pick between two videos – one about colon cancer and another about how to keep feet healthy. 

The researchers found that comic strip cartoons made the more avoidant participants more likely to take the quiz and the humorous communication also made them more likely to watch the video about the disease. On the contrary, the cute animals and coping messages did not increase engagement. The research hypothesised that the humour put the participants in a good mood, which may have lowered their perception of the information feeling threatening. 

Whilst having an awareness of our health is of course important, too much exposure can have an adverse effect, leading to health anxiety and even cyberchondria – a term used to describe people who excessively research symptoms online and self-diagnose medical conditions. It can also dilute responses to accurate and reliable health sources and contribute to chronic cycles of stress and worry. 

With such easy access to health information and the rise of self-help “advice” on social media, it can be hard to separate fact from hearsay. So how can we maintain a balanced relationship with health information? 

6 ways to stay reliably informed about health and reduce health anxiety

1. Talk to a healthcare professional 

If you are concerned about symptoms that you are experiencing, the most important thing you can do is talk to a qualified healthcare professional, such as a pharmacist, GP or nurse. Talking to a medical professional who can share their knowledge and expertise ensures you’re getting accurate and reliable information. 

2. Avoid Googling symptoms 

It’s almost second nature for us to turn to ‘Dr Google’ when we feel like something is wrong, but looking up symptoms online can be unhelpful. When we feel anxious, our brains look for the worst-case scenarios. Different conditions can present very similar symptoms, and jumping straight to the scary stuff can exacerbate health anxiety and mean you’re not getting a balanced perspective.

This might seem counterintuitive, but as obsessively researching health-related concerns can harm our health, it’s best to limit exposure to this information. For example, reduce the number of times you check the news to once per day and make sure that when you do seek information, you use reliable and trusted sources such as the NHS website. 

4. Try journaling 

If you find that health-related thoughts crop up regularly, it can be helpful to write them down. Schedule in “worry time” and spend a few moments assessing how you’re feeling. Try to shift your perspective and question whether your symptoms are realistic or if they’re a physical reaction to your anxious thoughts. For example, ask yourself: are you experiencing a headache because of something serious, or might you be feeling the physical effects of stress?  

5. Practise mindfulness 

If you’re stuck in a cycle of anxiety, practising relaxation and mindfulness can help calm these thoughts. This helps you view situations more clearly and with a better perspective. Opt for techniques such as box breathing or follow a guided meditation to keep you grounded and prevent thoughts from spiralling.

6. Try therapy 

It’s perfectly natural to worry about our health, but if you find that it’s having an impact on your daily life, you spend a lot of time thinking about it or your feelings are out of proportion with what experts say, you may benefit from seeking support in the form of counselling or therapy.

Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) help you understand your behaviours and change your mindset. Hypnotherapy for health anxiety is another approach that combines talk therapy with hypnosis. It helps you to feel safe in your body and approach health information with a rational focus.