Public's perception of celebrities with serious illness in Hong Kong and the impact of media stories of ill celebrities on health awareness and behaviour.

Celebrity diagnoses can strongly impact public awareness and behaviour. This study aims to examine the public's perception of celebrities with serious illness in Hong Kong and the impact of media stories of ill celebrities on health awareness and behaviour. A survey using purposive sampling was conducted in April 2014. Altogether, 297 completed questionnaires were received. The public's perception of celebrity diagnoses was generally favourable. Respondents showed sympathy and support towards celebrities with serious illnesses. They tended to believe stories revealed by the ill celebrities rather than news coverage in media. This is the first study to examine public perception towards celebrity diagnoses and the impact of media stories of ill celebrities on health awareness and behaviour in a Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]