Beyond Medical Risk: Investigating the Psychological Factors Underlying Women's Perceptions of Susceptibility to Breast Cancer, Heart Disease, and Osteoporosis.

Abstract

The relationships of epidemiological (objective) risk indices, perceived disease characteristics, and cognitive heuristics to women's perceived susceptibility to breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis in a community sample of 312 women ages 40-86 were examined. Epidemiological indices accounted for a small to moderate proportion of the variance in perceived susceptibility. Psychological factors (perceived similarity to women who contract the target disease and perceived disease prevalence) predicted perceived susceptibility above and beyond medical risk factors. Opposite to actual risk, age correlated negatively with perceived susceptibility to all 3 diseases. Exploratory analyses suggested that perceived similarity, perceived prevalence, and absent/exempt beliefs might mediate this relationship. Confirmatory factor analyses verified that measures of absolute and direct comparative risk assess the same underlying construct of perceived susceptibility.

The Implications of Genetic Susceptibility for the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer: A Qualitative Study of Older Adults’ Understanding

“…The finding that people think that the link between colorectal cancer and physical activity is less plausible than a link between heart disease and physical activity [12] is consistent with our results. These findings highlight the importance of understanding implicit theories of disease risk [26] and the way that different individuals and groups interpret preventive messages [16, 25] in order to tailor communication effectively.…”

“…It is unclear whether this view is correct. Individuals probably vary in their awareness and acceptance of genetic research [25], and in their estimates of their risks of developing specific diseases; these estimates may be inaccurate, making it an important priority to better understand people’s implicit theories of disease risk [26]. The same messages about genetics and risk may create optimism about scientific or medical advances in some recipients, and thus engender complacency about the need for prevention.…”

Gender Identity Salience and Perceived Vulnerability to Breast Cancer

“…Estimates of personal risk are constructed by individuals based on environmental cues and personal experience (Gerend et al 2004). This illustrates the need to consider social cognition in understanding the processes involved in assessing one's vulnerability to personal risks.…”

The impact of osteoporotic fractures compared with other health conditions in older adults living in Virginia, United States

“…For white women, the 1 in 6 risk of sustaining a hip fracture is greater than the 1 in 9 risk of developing breast cancer [26,27], and 75 % of women aged 40-60 have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease [28]. However, many women perceive the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease as more concerning than osteoporotic fracture [29].…”