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"If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Fagerlin, A; Zikmund-Fisher, BJ; Ubel, PA
Published in: Patient education and counseling
December 2007

To test whether providing comparative risk information changes risk perceptions.Two hundred and forty-nine female visitors to a hospital cafeteria were randomized to one of two conditions which differed in whether their hypothetical breast cancer risks was lower or higher than the average women's. Participants read a scenario describing a breast cancer prevention pill and indicated their: (1) likelihood of taking the pill and (2) perception of whether the pill provides breast cancer risk reduction.Women told that their hypothetical risk of breast cancer was above average were more likely to endorse taking the pill (2.79 vs. 2.23, F=4.95, p=0.002) and more likely to believe that the pill provided a significant risk reduction in breast cancer (3.15 vs. 2.73, F=4.32, p=0.005), even though the risks were equivalent.Providing people with comparative risk information changes their risk perceptions. People who have above average risk may feel compelled to take a treatment because they are at above average risk and therefore may not thoroughly consider the trade-offs in the risks and benefits of treatment.Physicians and decision aid developers must reconsider the practice of communicating "average risk" information to patients.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

December 2007

Volume

69

Issue

1-3

Start / End Page

140 / 144

Related Subject Headings

  • Women's Health
  • Women
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Risk Assessment
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
 

Citation

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Fagerlin, A., Zikmund-Fisher, B. J., & Ubel, P. A. (2007). "If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits. Patient Education and Counseling, 69(1–3), 140–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2007.08.008
Fagerlin, Angela, Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, and Peter A. Ubel. “"If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits.Patient Education and Counseling 69, no. 1–3 (December 2007): 140–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2007.08.008.
Fagerlin A, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Ubel PA. "If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits. Patient education and counseling. 2007 Dec;69(1–3):140–4.
Fagerlin, Angela, et al. “"If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits.Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 69, no. 1–3, Dec. 2007, pp. 140–44. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.pec.2007.08.008.
Fagerlin A, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Ubel PA. "If I'm better than average, then I'm ok?": Comparative information influences beliefs about risk and benefits. Patient education and counseling. 2007 Dec;69(1–3):140–144.
Journal cover image

Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

December 2007

Volume

69

Issue

1-3

Start / End Page

140 / 144

Related Subject Headings

  • Women's Health
  • Women
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Risk Assessment
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice