title: User Perceptions and Reactions to an Online Cancer Risk Assessment Tool: a Process Evaluation of Cancer Risk Check.
abstract: Online cancer risk assessment tools, which provide personalized cancer information and recommendations based on personal data input by users, are a promising cancer education approach; however, few tools have been evaluated. A randomized controlled study was conducted to compare user impressions of one tool, Cancer Risk Check (CRC), to non-personalized educational information delivered online as series of self-advancing slides (the control). CRC users (N = 1452) rated the tool to be as interesting as the control (p > .05), but users were more likely to report that the information was difficult to understand and not applicable to them (p < .05). Information seeking and sharing also were lower among CRC users; thus, although impressions of CRC were favorable, it was not shown to be superior to existing approaches. We hypothesized CRC was less effective because it contained few visual and graphical elements; therefore, CRC was compared to a text-based control (online PDF file) post hoc. CRC users rated the information to be more interesting, less difficult to understand, and better able to hold their attention (p < .05). Post hoc results suggest the visual presentation of risk is critical to tool success.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University, 154 N. Oval Mall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. hovick.1@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Shelly R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hovick
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Therese B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Bevers
authors.affiliation: Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer Irvin
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Vidrine
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University, 154 N. Oval Mall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Phokeng M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Dailey
authors.affiliation: Prairie View A&M University, 100 University Dr, Prairie View, TX, 77446, USA.
authors.forename: Lovell A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010465:Perception; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Health communication; Risk assessment