Nutrition-Related Cancer Prevention Cognitions and Behavioral Intentions: Testing the Risk Perception Attitude Framework

Abstract

This study tested whether the risk perception attitude framework predicted nutrition-related cancer prevention cognitions and behavioral intentions. Data from the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey were analyzed to assess respondents' reported likelihood of developing cancer (risk) and perceptions of whether they could lower their chances of getting cancer (efficacy). Respondents with higher efficacy were more likely to report that good nutrition can prevent cancer, and they reported more preventive dietary changes, as compared to respondents with lower efficacy. Respondents with higher efficacy were more likely to report intentions to change their diets to prevent cancer, and they reported more preventive dietary changes to their own diets but only at higher levels of risk. Results suggest that to improve cognitions about the role of nutrition in cancer prevention, interventions should target cancer prevention efficacy; however, to increase intentions to change nutrition behaviors, interventions should target efficacy and risk perceptions.

Keywords

risk perception attitude framework Health Information National Trends Survey cancer prevention

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Asano, T.K. , & McLeod, R.S. (2002). Dietary fibre for the prevention of colorectal adenomas and carcinomas [Online]. Chochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2. (Article No. CD003430)

Barnard, N.D. , & Nicholson, A.N. (1997). Beliefs about dietary factors in breast cancer prevention among American women, 1991 to 1995. Preventive Medicine, 26, 109-113.

Cerully, J.L. , Klein, W.M.P. , & McCaul, K.D. (2006). Lack of acknowledgment of fruit and vegetable recommendations among nonadherent individuals: Associations with information processing and cancer cognitions. Journal of Health Communication, 11, 103-115.

Danaei, G. , Vander Hoorn, S. , Lopez, A.D. , Murray, C.J.L. , Ezzatik, M. , & the Comparative Risk Assessment Collaborating Group (Cancers). (2005). Causes of cancer in the world: Comparative risk assessment of nine behavioural and environmental risk factors. The Lancet, 366, 1784-1793.

Harnack, L. , Block, G. , Subar, A. , Lanes, S. , & Brand, R. (1997). Association of cancer prevention-related nutrition knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes to cancer prevention dietary behavior. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97, 957-965.

Hesse, B.W. , Moser, R.P. , Finney Rutten, L.J. , & Kreps, G.L. (2006). The Health Information National Trends Survey: Research from the baseline. Journal of Health Communication , 11, vii-xvi.

Maddux, J.E. , & Rogers, R.W. (1983). Protection motivation and self-efficacy: A revised theory of fear appeals and attitude change. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 469-479.

Nelson, D.E. , Kreps, G.L. , Hesse, B.W. , Croyle, R.T. , Willis, G. , Aurora, N.K. , et al. (2004). The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS): Development, design, and dissemination. Journal of Health Communication, 9, 443-460.

Nelson, D.E. , Powell-Griner, E. , Town, M. , & Kovar, M.G. (2003). A comparison of national estimates from the National Health Interview Survey and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System . American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1335-1341.

10.

Noar, S.M. , Benac, C.N. , & Harris, M.S. (2007). Does tailoring matter? Meta-analytic review of tailored print health behavioral change interventions. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 673-693.

11.

Research Triangle Institute. (2004). SUDAAN language manual: Release 9.0. Research Triangle Park, NC: Author.

12.

Rimal, R.N. (2001). Perceived risk and self-efficacy as motivators: Understanding individuals' long-term use of health information. Journal of Communication, 51, 633-651.

13.

Rimal, R.N. , & Real, K. (2003). Perceived risk and efficacy beliefs as motivators of change: Use of the risk perception attitude (RPA) framework to understand health behaviors. Human Communication Research, 29, 370-399.

14.

Stables, G.J. , Subar, A.F. , Patterson, B.H. , Dodd, K. , Heimendinger, J. , Van Duyn, M.A. , et al. (2002). Changes in vegetable and fruit consumption and awareness among US adults: Results of the 1991 and 1997 5-a-Day for Better Health surveys. Journal of the American Dietetic Association , 102, 809-817.

15.

Turner, M.M. , Rimal, R.N. , Morrison, D. , & Kim, H. (2006). The role of anxiety in seeking and retaining risk information: Testing the risk perception attitude framework in two studies . Human Communication Research, 32, 130-156.

16.

Webb, T.L. , & Sheeran, P. (2006). Does changing behavioral intentions engender behavior change? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 249-268.

17.

Weinstein, N.D. (2007). Misleading tests of health behavior theories. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33, 1-10.

18.

Weinstein, N.D. , Kwitel, A. , McCaul, K.D. , Magnan, R.E. , Gerrard, M. , & Gibbons, F.X. (2007). Risk perceptions: Assessment and relationship to influenza vaccination. Health Psychology, 26, 146-151.

19.

Willis, G.B. (2005). Cognitive interviewing: A tool for improving questionnaire design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage .

20.

Witte, K. (1992). Putting the fear back in fear appeals: The extended parallel process model. Communication Monographs, 59, 329-349.

21.

Witte, K. , & Allen, M. (2000). A meta-analysis of fear appeals: Implications for effective public health campaigns. Health Education and Behavior, 27, 591-615.