Eurobarometer 47.2: Women and Cancer, the European Parliament, and Expectations of the European Union, April-June 1997

This round of Eurobarometer surveys queried respondents onstandard Eurobarometer measures, such as whether they attempted topersuade others close to them to share their views on subjects theyheld strong opinions about and whether they discussed politicalmatters. Additional questions focused on the respondents' knowledge ofand opinions on the European Union (EU), including what sources ofinformation about the EU they used and whether their country hadbenefited from being an EU member. This study also focused on womenand cancer, the role of the European Parliament, and expectations ofthe EU. All female respondents were asked if they thought they couldever have breast or cervical cancer, and if they knew anybody whocurrently had cancer, had had it, or had died from it. Femalerespondents also indicated the types of examinations they had had,their confidence in preventive examinations including whether or notcancer prevention is possible, and whether they thought manual breastexaminations, mammographies, gynecological examinations, and cervicalsmear tests could detect cancer. Female respondents also commented ontheir knowledge of national screening programs, their willingness toparticipate in such programs, and which aspects of cancer they wouldlike to be better informed about. Items concerning the EuropeanParliament asked all respondents about its current importance withinthe EU, policy areas to which it should pay particular attention, andwhether it protected citizen's interests. Other queries focused onfears and expectations regarding the EU. Respondents were asked ifthey feared loss of power for smaller member states, increased drugtrafficking, language acculturation, loss of national identity,transfer of jobs, more taxes, or other countries joining theEU. Respondents indicated whether the EU should become more active inareas of peace, agriculture, fishing, immigration, environmentalprotection, consumerism, research efforts, unemployment, crimeprevention, European law, gender equality, and protection fromnon-European competition. With respect to building Europe, opinionswere sought on the necessity of policies such as a single internalmarket, a common agricultural policy, a European social policy, oneforeign policy, one army, one currency, one tax system, and an electedEuropean government. Demographic and other background informationprovided includes respondent's age, sex, marital status, andleft-right political self-placement as well as household income, thenumber of people residing in the home, and region of residence.Respondents aged 15-24 years were also surveyed on a variety ofadditional topics including the EU, elderly people, family planning,religion, foreigners, employment, activities, and organizationmemberships. The data regarding this topic are reported inEUROBAROMETER 47.2OVR: YOUNG EUROPEANS, APRIL-JUNE 1997 (ICPSR 2091).