Comparison of risk perceptions and beliefs across common chronic diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Few studies have compared perceptions of risk, worry, severity and control across multiple diseases. This paper examines how these perceptions vary for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and colon, breast, and ovarian cancers.


METHODS
The data for this study came from the Family Healthware Impact Trial (FHITr), conducted in the United States from 2005 to 2007. Healthy adults (N=2362) from primary care practices recorded their perceptions at baseline for each disease. Analyses were conducted controlling for study site and personal risk factors.


RESULTS
Perceived risk was significantly higher for cancers than for other diseases. Men worried most about getting heart disease; women worried most about getting breast cancer, followed by heart disease. Diabetes was perceived to be the least severe condition. Heart disease was perceived to be the most controllable compared to cancers, which were perceived to be the least controllable. Women had higher perceived risk and worry ratings compared to men for several diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
These data highlight how individuals comparatively view chronic diseases. Addressing prior disease perceptions when communicating multiple disease risks may facilitate an accurate understanding of risk for diseases, and help individuals to effectively identify and engage in relevant behaviors to reduce their risk.
Wang
Catharine
C
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Catharine.Wang@fccc.edu
O'Neill
Suzanne M
SM
Rothrock
Nan
N
Gramling
Robert
R
Sen
Ananda
A
Acheson
Louise S
LS
Rubinstein
Wendy S
WS
Nease
Donald E
DE
Ruffin
Mack T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology