Background: Information seeking is crucial in the health behavior context. Cancer information seeking may play a key role in individuals' perceptions and subsequent health behaviors. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cancer information seeking on perceptions of cancer worry, fatalism and risk. Methods: Data from…

Background: Self-efficacy is an important predictor of performing health behaviors. Purpose: We invoked varying points of view (none, first person, third person) in standard instructions for breast self-exams (BSEs) to examine whether point of view taken would impact self-efficacy for and behavioral intentions regarding BSE. Methods: One hundred…

Increasing public knowledge remains one of the key aims of skin cancer awareness campaigns, yet diagnosis rates continue to rise. It is essential we measure skin cancer knowledge adequately so as to determine the nature of its relationship to sun-related behaviors. This study investigated the psychometric properties of a new measure of skin cancer…

Limiting exposure to sunlight during childhood can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer. This was the first national study to assess the sun protection policies and practices of early childhood services across Australia. It also examined the key predictors of services' sun protection practices. In 2007, 1017 respondents completed a…

Objective: To evaluate the level of cancer literacy among Korean American immigrants and to identify the most influential predictors of cancer literacy in this population. Method: Using a quota-sampling strategy, 407 Korean American immigrants were recruited in the New York metropolitan area. The study was theoretically guided by the Andersen's…

Each year in the United States, an average of one to two children per 10,000 develop cancer. The etiology of most childhood cancer remains largely unknown but is likely attributable to random or induced genetic aberrations in somatic tissue. However, a subset of children develops cancer in the setting of an underlying inheritable condition…

During adolescence, there is a steady decline in the use of sun protection and increased use of indoor tanning lights. Previous health education efforts have changed knowledge but not these behaviors. Middle school students (n = 113) received a single educational class that included personal viewing of skin changes visible under ultraviolet (UV)…

Background: Although breast cancer prevention should begin in youth, many young women are not aware of the modifiable lifestyle risk factors for the disease. Purpose: The purposes of this study were to examine the breast cancer-related knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs of young women; to determine whether knowledge about lifestyle risks was…

Objectives: In fall 2004, the authors used a survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and behaviors of college students relative to oral cancer prevention to inform development of targeted prevention programming. Participants: A convenience sample of 1,003 undergraduate students at one public university in Indiana participated.…

It is unclear how objective risk factors influence the factors associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk perception. The goals of this study were to investigate factors associated with perceived risk of CRC and to explore how these relationships were modified by personal history of polyps or family history of CRC. The study involved a mailed…

A better understanding of factors influencing retention in breast cancer risk education and prevention programs can improve the design and effectiveness of such programs. Such information may also be useful to researchers seeking to maximize full retention in research trials involving low risk and low perceived benefit by the participants. These…

This study assessed the association of lifestyle and clinical health behaviors with prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests. The study used cross-sectional data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We used Stata 8.0 to take into account the complex sample design in analyses. Both lifestyle and clinical health behaviors…

Studies of variables predicting familial breast cancer (N=59) were analyzed to develop screening recommendations for women with nonhereditary familial breast cancer present. The pooled relative risk (RR) and cumulative probability were used to estimate risk. Data and conclusions are presented. Recommendations for screening and counseling are…

Objective: To assess young women's breast health knowledge and explore its relation to the use of screening mammography. Methods: A convenience sample of 180 women aged 25-45 residing in Toronto, Canada, with no history of breast cancer and mammography received an information brochure and four questionnaires which assessed their knowledge of…

Does psychological distress increase mortality risk? If it does, are women more vulnerable than men to the effect of distress on mortality? Drawing from cumulative disadvantage theory, these questions are addressed with data from a 20-year follow-up of a national sample of adults ages 25-74. Event history analyses were performed to examine…