Objective: To study the present and preferred sources of information about cancer.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place: Counties of Gironés and Pla de l'Estany from the province of Girona.
Participants: Stratified random sample of 408 women aged 40 to 70 years.
Results: Main present source of information about cancer were friends and relatives (34.9%), followed by radio and Tv (34.0%) and newspapers (19.9%). Health care professionals only were considered main source of information by 11.3% of the sample. Women with incomplete primary school and women from older age groups answered more frequently Radio and Tv as their main source of information. However, the preferred source of information about cancer were health care professionals (73.3%).
Conclusion: Health care professionals are the preferred source of information about cancer but only a small percentage of population receive information from them. These results indicate the need to redefine educational strategies regarding cancer in primary health care.