Markey study addresses alcohol-cancer awareness gap

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 20, 2026) — Most people in the United States who drink alcohol do not know it raises their cancer risk. A new study co-authored by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers found that educational messaging is effective at addressing this awareness gap and identified audiences most in need of tailored messaging.

The study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, included UK Markey Cancer Center researchers Marc T. Kiviniemi, Ph.D., and Anne E. Ray, Ph.D., both faculty members in the UK College of Public Health, as co-authors alongside lead author Jennifer L. Hay, Ph.D., of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Kiviniemi and Ray are both members of Markey Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program.

Alcohol has been classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization for nearly 40 years and is tied to increased risk for seven cancer types, including breast and colorectal cancer. Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General called for updated alcohol warning labels to reflect the cancer risk. Currently, only about one in three people in the U.S. are aware of the alcohol-cancer link.

The research team recruited 827 adults who currently drank alcohol and did not know that alcohol is linked to cancer. After participants watched a short, animated educational video on the topic, 70% reported awareness of the connection.

“All American adults — both drinkers and nondrinkers — should have the information they need to understand how drinking affects cancer risk,” said Kiviniemi. “The findings of our study are exciting because they show that a relatively short and cost-effective message can help. As a public health professional, it is always gratifying when we can make sure the public has the latest, best and most accurate information to use in making decisions about their health and well-being.”

The findings also identified some groups that were less likely to gain awareness after watching the video, including heavy drinkers, cancer survivors and those who tend to avoid health information, pointing to a need for more tailored messaging for specific audiences.

“We can’t just adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to our messaging and expect to reach everyone,” said Ray. “Now that we know more about which groups have different messaging needs, we can work with them to better understand what types of communication will be effective in increasing their awareness, too.”

This study draws on more than a decade of work by the research team, much of it funded by the National Cancer Institute, which explores how people understand health risk and how gaps in that understanding affect their decisions. It applies those insights to develop better tools for helping people make informed choices about their health and behaviors.