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Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media
Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613777837424640 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Rademan, Anna Elizabeth |
| author2 | Joubert, Catherina Magdalena |
| author_browse | Joubert, Catherina Magdalena Rademan, Anna Elizabeth |
| author_facet | Joubert, Catherina Magdalena Rademan, Anna Elizabeth |
| author_sort | Rademan, Anna Elizabeth |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131893 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:32.562Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131893 Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media Rademan, Anna Elizabeth Joubert, Catherina Magdalena Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology. Online journalism -- South Africa Cancer -- Patients -- Communication Cancer patients -- Computer network resources Medical misconceptions Cancer -- Research Internet UCTD Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. With the increasing reliance on online media for health information, the proliferation of pseudoscientific cancer claims poses a significant threat to informed health decisions. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of pseudoscience in cancer reporting via online news media in South Africa and explored the perceptions of South African cancer researchers regarding this issue. A mixed-methods approach was used to investigate the trends of pseudoscientific cancer reporting in South African online news, a content analysis was conducted on 431 cancer articles from the eight most popular South African news media sites over 10 years (2013—2022). A webbased survey explored the perceptions of South African cancer researchers regarding pseudoscientific cancer reporting and their roles and responsibilities in combatting misinformation. The study revealed several key findings about pseudoscience in South African online news media. The content analysis showed that only 8% of cancer news articles had sensationalised headlines and 10% contained sensationalised content, indicating a relatively high standard of online health journalism in South Africa. However, a concerning 74% of exaggerated claims found in 54 news articles lacked substantiation, often involving miracle cures, herbal remedies, alternative medicine, and superfoods. Positively, 62% of the articles actively debunked false treatments, such as rhino horn as a cancer cure, highlighting the media's role in promoting evidence-based practices and protecting both public health and the environment. The survey results revealed discrepancies between the content analysis and cancer researchers’ perceptions. While the content analysis indicated low sensationalism, only 13% of cancer researchers rated the quality of cancer news reporting as high. A substantial 76% believed news reports oversimplify scientific findings, and 84% perceived cancer news as frequently hyped, reflecting widespread concern about sensationalism and misrepresentation in cancer media coverage among South African cancer researchers. Furthermore, 62% of cancer researchers perceived an increase in pseudoscientific news media content over the past decade. While 34% of the news articles mentioned 147 different pseudoscientific cures, only 15% actively promoted these treatments. Although 53% of the cancer researchers were willing to engage with journalists to address pseudoscience, 66% had not done so, citing barriers such as time constraints and lack of institutional support. Engagement with the public also emerged as a key issue. An overwhelming 97% of cancer researchers recognised the importance of disseminating their findings, and 87% were willing to communicate with journalists. However, only 47% reported actual engagement with journalists, while 58% observed that their colleagues do not engage regularly, indicating systemic barriers within academic culture. The study highlights the need to uphold high standards of journalistic integrity and accuracy in health reporting, as well as the critical role of healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutions in ensuring factual reporting to counter pseudoscience. Collaborative efforts among scientists, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and journalists are essential to maintain rigorous standards, combat misinformation, and safeguard public health. The findings underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and improvement in media practices, as well as addressing systemic barriers that hinder researchers from engaging with the media to combat pseudoscience. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kanker is die tweede grootste oorsaak van sterftes wêreldwyd. Met die publiek se toenemende afhanklikheid van aanlyn-media vir gesondheidsinligting, kan die verspreiding van pseudowetenskaplike aansprake gesondheidsbesluite aansienlik beïnvloed. Daarom het hierdie studie die teenwoordigheid van pseudowetenskap in kankerberiggewing in die Suid-Afrikaanse aanlyn-nuusmedia ondersoek en ook die persepsies van Suid-Afrikaanse kankernavorsers oor die kwessie verken. 'n Gemengde-metode benadering is gebruik om die tendense van pseudowetenskaplike kankerberiggewing in Suid-Afrikaanse aanlyn-nuus te ondersoek. 'n Inhoudsanalise is uitgevoer op 431 kankerartikels van die agt gewildste Suid-Afrikaanse nuusmedia-webwerwe oor 'n tydperk van 10 jaar (2013—2022). Na afloop van die inhoudsanalise is die persepsies van Suid- Afrikaanse kankernavorsers oor pseudowetenskaplike kankerberiggewing en hul rolle en verantwoordelikhede in die stryd teen pseudowetenskap ondersoek. Die studie het verskeie belangrike bevindinge oor pseudowetenskap in Suid-Afrikaanse aanlynnuusmedia uitgelig. Uit die inhoudsanalise het dit geblyk dat slegs 8% van die nuusartikels oor kanker sensasionele opskrifte gehad het en net 10% sensasionele inhoud bevat het, wat 'n relatief hoë standaard van aanlyn-gesondheidsjoernalistiek in Suid-Afrika aandui. Tog het 'n kommerwekkende 74% van oordrewe bewerings in 54 nuusartikels nie genoegsame bewyse gehad nie. Verwysings na wondermiddels, medisinale plante, alternatiewe medisyne en supervoedsel het dikwels in die artikels verskyn. Op 'n positiewe noot het 62% van die artikels pseudowetenskap, soos renosterhoring as ‘n kankerkuur ontbloot, wat die media se deurslaggewende rol in die vestiging van bewysgebaseerde beriggewing en die beskerming van openbare gesondheid en die omgewing beklemtoon. Die resultate van die webopname onder kankernavorsers het 'n teenstrydigheid tussen die bevindinge van die inhoudsanalise en die persepsies van kankernavorsers getoon. Terwyl die inhoudsanalise lae sensasionele inhoud aangedui het, het slegs 13% van die kankernavorsers die kwaliteit van kankerberiggewing van goeie gehalte geag. 'n Beduidende 76% het aangedui dat nuusverslae wetenskaplike bevindinge oorvereenvoudig en 84% het kankerberiggewing as oordrewe beskou. Dit weerspieël kommer oor sensasionele inhoud en waninligting in kankerberiggewing onder Suid-Afrikaanse kankernavorsers. Verder het 62% van kankernavorsers 'n toename in pseudowetenskaplike inhoud oor die afgelope dekade waargeneem. Terwyl 34% van die artikels 147 verskillende pseudowetenskaplike wonderkure genoem het, het slegs 15% dit ondersteun. Alhoewel 53% van die kankernavorsers bereid was om met joernaliste te werk om pseudowetenskap aan te spreek, het 66% dit nie gedoen nie, wat dui op hindernisse soos tydbeperkings en 'n gebrek aan institusionele ondersteuning. Publieke betrokkenheid het ook as 'n belangrike kwessie verskyn. 'n Oorweldigende 97% van kankernavorsers het die belangrikheid van die verspreiding van hul navorsing erken, en 87% was bereid om met joernaliste te kommunikeer. Slegs 47% het egter werklike betrokkenheid met joernaliste gerapporteer, en 58% het opgemerk dat hul kollegas nie gereeld met die media skakel nie, wat sistemiese hindernisse in akademiese kultuur uitlig. Die studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid om hoë standaarde van joernalistieke integriteit en akkuraatheid in gesondheidsberiggewing te handhaaf, sowel as die kritieke rol van professionele gesondheidslui, navorsers, en instellings om feitelike beriggewing te verseker om pseudowetenskap teë te werk. Samewerkingspogings tussen wetenskaplikes, professionele gesondheidslui, beleidmakers, en joernaliste is noodsaaklik om streng standaarde te handhaaf, misinformasie te bestry, en openbare gesondheid te beskerm. Die bevindinge beklemtoon die behoefte aan voortdurende evaluering en verbetering van mediapraktyke, sowel as die noodsaaklikheid om sistemiese hindernisse aan te spreek wat navorsers verhinder om saam met die media te werk om pseudowetenskap te bekamp. Doctoral 2025-04-07T12:48:07Z 2025-04-07T12:48:07Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131893 en Stellenbosch University 309 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Online journalism -- South Africa Cancer -- Patients -- Communication Cancer patients -- Computer network resources Medical misconceptions Cancer -- Research Internet UCTD Rademan, Anna Elizabeth Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title | Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title_full | Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title_fullStr | Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title_short | Cancer in the news: an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via South African online news media |
| title_sort | cancer in the news an investigation into pseudoscience in cancer reporting via south african online news media |
| topic | Online journalism -- South Africa Cancer -- Patients -- Communication Cancer patients -- Computer network resources Medical misconceptions Cancer -- Research Internet UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131893 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rademanannaelizabeth cancerinthenewsaninvestigationintopseudoscienceincancerreportingviasouthafricanonlinenewsmedia |