Warnings About Cancer-Alcohol Link Can Be Made Stronger, Researchers Say

Scientists say that warning messages about alcohol and cancer work better when they are written in certain ways. A new study found that messages naming specific cancers — and showing AI-made images of health effects — got stronger responses from readers. The study was published in the journal Cancer and was led by researchers at the University of Miami.

Most people do not know that drinking alcohol is linked to several types of cancer. Alcohol has been classified as a cancer-causing substance by health experts. It has been connected to cancers of the breast, colon, liver, mouth, throat, voice box, and esophagus. Even so, many people are unaware of these risks.

Lead researcher Dr. Taghrid Asfar, a public health professor at the University of Miami, said the public needs better information. "Many people remain unaware that alcohol is linked to several cancers," she said. She believes that clear, science-based messages can help people better understand the risk. Her team set out to find what kinds of messages work best.

For the study, 639 adults in the United States who drink alcohol were surveyed. Each person was shown different messages about alcohol and cancer. Then they answered questions about what they thought of the messages. The researchers looked at which messages people found most useful and believable.

The results showed that people liked messages that named specific cancers the most. They were more likely to call those messages informative, believable, and attention-grabbing. Adding a visual image made the messages even more powerful. However, people who drink heavily were less likely to respond to any of the messages.

The study did not look at whether the messages actually changed how much people drink over time. Researcher Frank Penedo said that good health messages need to meet people where they are. "Effective cancer prevention communication must be tailored to where people are psychologically," he said. Penedo is the director of the Sylvester Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute at the University of Miami.

The research team said more studies are needed to find out if these messages truly change drinking habits. Dr. Asfar said the goal is to create messages that people will notice, trust, and remember. "As we continue this work, we hope these findings can help shape public health messages that are clear, evidence-based and useful for people making decisions about their health," she said. Scientists hope this research will one day lead to better public health campaigns.