Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema
IntroductionAlthough cancer is currently considered a serious socio-medical challenge and health education in Poland has been positioned as a public health priority, the impact of popular culture on people’s ideas about cancer has been neglected. This study therefore aims to analyse the way popular...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1062286/full |
| _version_ | 1811178025359769600 |
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| author | Jan Domaradzki |
| author_facet | Jan Domaradzki |
| author_sort | Jan Domaradzki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAlthough cancer is currently considered a serious socio-medical challenge and health education in Poland has been positioned as a public health priority, the impact of popular culture on people’s ideas about cancer has been neglected. This study therefore aims to analyse the way popular Polish films portray cancer and the experience of cancer.Material and MethodsSeven popular Polish films featuring cancer were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The main categories included in the coding frame were disease, therapy, patient, physicians/oncologists and psychosocial issuses related to cancer.ResultsPolish films fail to provide the audience with basic information about the disease, its diagnoses and treatment and cancer is often represented as a mysterious disease with an unclear cause, an unpredictable and unsuccessful course of treatment, characterised by pain, suffering and inevitable death. Films may therefore instil carcinophobia. Since films accurately reflect problems of daily life faced by cancer patients and their families they have educational potential.ConclusionAlthough Polish films reinforce harmful stereotypes about cancer, its treatment, oncological institutions and specialists, cinema has the ability to raise the public’s and health professionals’ awareness regarding the psycho-social and emotional strains faced by cancer patients and the medical problems related to cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:12:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dc02959bfaeb49f8b5d1037b13d36ea4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:12:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-dc02959bfaeb49f8b5d1037b13d36ea42022-12-22T04:41:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2022-12-011210.3389/fonc.2022.10622861062286Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinemaJan DomaradzkiIntroductionAlthough cancer is currently considered a serious socio-medical challenge and health education in Poland has been positioned as a public health priority, the impact of popular culture on people’s ideas about cancer has been neglected. This study therefore aims to analyse the way popular Polish films portray cancer and the experience of cancer.Material and MethodsSeven popular Polish films featuring cancer were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The main categories included in the coding frame were disease, therapy, patient, physicians/oncologists and psychosocial issuses related to cancer.ResultsPolish films fail to provide the audience with basic information about the disease, its diagnoses and treatment and cancer is often represented as a mysterious disease with an unclear cause, an unpredictable and unsuccessful course of treatment, characterised by pain, suffering and inevitable death. Films may therefore instil carcinophobia. Since films accurately reflect problems of daily life faced by cancer patients and their families they have educational potential.ConclusionAlthough Polish films reinforce harmful stereotypes about cancer, its treatment, oncological institutions and specialists, cinema has the ability to raise the public’s and health professionals’ awareness regarding the psycho-social and emotional strains faced by cancer patients and the medical problems related to cancer.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1062286/fullcancercancer educationcancer literacycarcinophobiacinemacinemeducation |
| spellingShingle | Jan Domaradzki Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema Frontiers in Oncology cancer cancer education cancer literacy carcinophobia cinema cinemeducation |
| title | Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema |
| title_full | Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema |
| title_fullStr | Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema |
| title_short | Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema |
| title_sort | can popular films instil carcinophobia images of cancer in popular polish cinema |
| topic | cancer cancer education cancer literacy carcinophobia cinema cinemeducation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1062286/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jandomaradzki canpopularfilmsinstilcarcinophobiaimagesofcancerinpopularpolishcinema |