Fear Arousing Persuasive Communication: The Use of Threat and Coping Appraisal in Breast Cancer Messages

At present, breast cancer is having a severe effect in Kenya and it forms a serious threat to Kenyan women. In Kenya, breast cancer is the most common reproductive organ cancer which contributed 23% of all female cancers with one out of every nine women being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer (Neondo, 2006). According to the regional cancer registry at Kenya Medical Research Institute, about 80% of reported cases of cancer in Kenya are diagnosed at advanced stages, when very little can be achieved in terms of curative treatment (Musimbi, 2008). In Kenya, breast self examination is one of the interventions recommended by the government. Statistics however indicate that very few women engage in BSE despite widespread awareness campaigns by various stakeholders. This study sought to establish whether the breast cancer media messages are fear appeal theory based in their design in order to motivate breast screening, using the protection motivation theory. Content analysis was used to examine print media articles for threat and coping appraisal. The study examined all breast cancer print media articles in the Daily Nation newspaper, The Standard newspaper and the Parents magazine for the month of October 2012 and October 2013. Out of 250 messages analyzed, there was 60% severity, 23.2% vulnerability, 9.6% self efficacy and 7.2% response efficacy. The results of the study were intended to assist message designers to come up with messages that use fear appeal to motivate breast self examination.