title: Comparison of risk perceptions and beliefs across common chronic diseases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Catharine.Wang@fccc.edu
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rothrock
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gramling
authors.forename: Ananda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Louise S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Acheson
authors.forename: Wendy S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Nease
authors.forename: Mack T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ruffin
mesh_terms: 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