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How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Fagerlin, A; Zikmund-Fisher, BJ; Ubel, PA
Published in: Patient education and counseling
June 2005

Counseling women about breast cancer risks has been found to decrease screening compliance. We investigated whether women's reactions to risk information are an artifact of requiring women to estimate the risk of breast cancer prior to receiving risk information. Three hundred and fifty-six women were randomized to either make or not make a risk estimate prior to receiving risk information. Outcome measures were participants' estimates of the average woman's breast cancer risk and their emotional response to the risk information. Women overestimated the lifetime risk of breast cancer (M = 46%). Women who made risk estimates felt more relieved about the risk and perceived the risk as being lower than women who did not make estimates (p's < 0.001). Asking people to estimate risks influenced their subsequent perceptions of the risk of breast cancer.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

June 2005

Volume

57

Issue

3

Start / End Page

294 / 299

Related Subject Headings

  • Women
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Assessment
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Michigan
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Education
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Fagerlin, A., Zikmund-Fisher, B. J., & Ubel, P. A. (2005). How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey. Patient Education and Counseling, 57(3), 294–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2004.08.007
Fagerlin, Angela, Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, and Peter A. Ubel. “How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey.Patient Education and Counseling 57, no. 3 (June 2005): 294–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2004.08.007.
Fagerlin A, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Ubel PA. How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey. Patient education and counseling. 2005 Jun;57(3):294–9.
Fagerlin, Angela, et al. “How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey.Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 57, no. 3, June 2005, pp. 294–99. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.pec.2004.08.007.
Fagerlin A, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Ubel PA. How making a risk estimate can change the feel of that risk: shifting attitudes toward breast cancer risk in a general public survey. Patient education and counseling. 2005 Jun;57(3):294–299.
Journal cover image

Published In

Patient education and counseling

DOI

EISSN

1873-5134

ISSN

0738-3991

Publication Date

June 2005

Volume

57

Issue

3

Start / End Page

294 / 299

Related Subject Headings

  • Women
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Assessment
  • Public Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Michigan
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Education