title: Illness representations of lung cancer, lung cancer worry, and perceptions of risk by smoking status.
abstract: We examined perceived risk, worry, and illness representations of lung cancer by smoking status using data from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 1,765). Perceived lung cancer risk was rated "very high" more frequently by current (15.2%) than former (1.9%) and never (1.6%) smokers. Current smokers more frequently reported worry about lung cancer (18.4%) than former (3.1%) and never smokers (1.8%). Confusion about lung cancer prevention was higher among current (55.2%) than former (41.3%) or never smokers (38.2%). Agreement that lung cancer is caused by a person's behavior was higher among never (86.1%) and former (82.6%) than current smokers (75.4%). In multivariable models, never (OR = .07) and former smokers (OR = .16) were less likely than current smokers to perceive their lung cancer risk as high. Never smokers (OR = .21) were significantly less likely than current smokers to report worrying about lung cancer, while former and current smokers did not differ.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Monitoring Research Program, SAIC, Inc. - Frederick, National Cancer Institute - Frederick, Frederick, MD 21704, USA. finneyl@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Lila J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Finney Rutten
authors.forename: Kelly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: Bradford W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.forename: Erik M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Augustson
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult