Lay theories with respect to cancer exist already in healthy individuals, have impact on the compliance and are influenced by culture. Therefore, in a trans-cultural comparative study 3 ethnic groups of healthy persons were included: Germans in Germany, Spaniards in Spain, and Spaniards of the first generation in Germany (100 persons in each group, the groups matched according to age, sex and education). Main aim of the study was the investigation of cultural differences with respect to causal attributions and locus of control referring to cancer. The results show common factors as well as some significant differences between Spaniards and Germans in the way that Spaniards report more external attributions. In all three groups a psycho-social understanding of cancer exists, but mostly predominant in the German group. Consequences for the medical supply of a multicultural society refer to the limited usability of some sources of information especially for Spaniards in Germany and to the simultaneously high importance of the physician-patient-relationship. © 2006 Schattauer GmbH.

culture cancer health psychology Lay theories

education controlled study Spain doctor patient relation Germany cultural anthropology social psychology cancer ethnic difference ethnology society Article human gender Psychological Theory age