ERIC Number: EJ1240181
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1932-5037
EISSN: N/A
Worry about Lung Cancer Is Related to Numeracy and Risk Perception of Diseases Associated with Smoking
Diaz, Destiny; Fix, Brian; Caruso, Rosalie; Bansal Travers, Maansi; O'Connor, Richard J.
American Journal of Health Education, v51 n1 p14-21 2020
Background: Numeracy is one's ability to use numbers in context and influence's decision making and perceptions of health risk. Worry about lung cancer is an indicator of perceived risk (PR) and is related to interest in cessation and cancer screening. Purpose: The analysis sought to explore underlying relationships among worry about lung cancer, smoking-related disease risk perceptions, and numeracy in a web-based panel. Methods: A Web-based survey, including a numeracy measure, was completed by 1,682 participants aged 18-65 recruited in 2014. Former and current smokers were asked about LC worry and current smokers were asked their PR of diseases associated with smoking. Results: Females (m = 25.64, 95% CI [24.67, 26.61]), respondents aged 45-65 (m = 26.15, 95% CI [24.89, 27.41]), those who worry "all the time" about LC (m = 27.62, 95% CI [25.66, 29.58]), and respondents perceiving a higher risk of LC compared to other smokers (m = 28.84, 95% CI [27.66, 30.01]) expressed significantly higher PR means. Higher household income (OR = 1.20, 95% CI [1.08, 1.34]), age (OR = 0.86, 95% CI [0.77, 0.98]), and comparative LC risk (OR = 2.52, 95% CI [2.01, 3.17]) were significantly associated with greater worry about LC. As PR increases by one unit, the probability of worrying increases by 4.6%. For numeracy scores, odds ratio showed that as scores increased by one unit, the probability of worrying decreased by 11.9%. Discussion: In this study, we have shown that PR has a positive association with LC worry and that numeracy has a negative association with LC worry. Translation to Health Education Practice: This information can be used to target subpopulations with low PR and numeracy about their risks for lung cancer and to develop tailored messages to educate these people. A "AJHE" Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI) http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars
Descriptors: Risk, Cancer, Smoking, Health Behavior, Decision Making, Screening Tests, Correlation, Diseases, Numeracy, Online Surveys, Measures (Individuals), Comparative Analysis, Family Income, Age Differences, Health Education, Educational Practices, Tests, Adults, Young Adults, Older Adults
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI) (NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R25CA181003; U19CA157345