Risk, efficacy, and seeking of general, breast, and prostate cancer information.
The authors investigated the independent and interactive effects of perceived risk and perceived efficacy on seeking of general, breast, and prostate cancer information. Analysis of the 2003 Health Information National Trend Survey indicates that perceived absolute risk and perceived response efficacy have generally independent-rather than interactive-effects on cancer information seeking. The influence of perceived absolute risk on prostate cancer information seeking appears to be moderated by perceived relative risk. When perceived relative risk is low, perceived absolute risk has no effect on prostate cancer information seeking; when perceived relative risk is high, perceived absolute risk exerts a significant positive influence on prostate cancer information seeking. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications.
Department of Communication, University of Maryland, 2105A Skinner Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. nan@umd.edu
Xiaoli
X
Nan
Jill
J
Underhill
Hua
H
Jiang
Hongmei
H
Shen
Beth
B
Kuch
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D055815:Young Adult