Beliefs about the effects of health behaviors on cancer risk: findings from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey.

PURPOSE

While some health behaviors may help reduce risk of cancer, beliefs about which behaviors affect cancer risk and the preventability of cancer vary within the population. The purpose of this study was to assess beliefs about cancer prevention behaviors and cancer fatalism.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 6252 respondents from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Multivariable ordinal regression models were used to find the odds of believing health behaviors increased cancer risk by demographics, health behaviors, and cancer fatalism beliefs.

RESULTS

Female respondents had higher odds of believing drinking alcohol, processed meat, red meat, and fast food increased cancer risk a lot (all p < 0.05). Black, Hispanic, and Other race respondents had higher odds of believing that processed meat increases cancer risk, while Hispanic respondents also had higher odds of believing soda, alcohol, red meat, fast food, and not enough fruits and vegetables increase risk (all p < 0.05). Those who feel "A lot" or "Some" progress has been made in preventing cancer had higher odds of believing drinking soda (OR (95% CI) 1.49 (1.16-1.91)), drinking alcohol (OR (95% CI) 1.82 (1.28-2.59)), processed meat (OR (95% CI) 1.84 (1.11-3.04)), red meat (OR (95% CI) 1.67 (1.24-2.24)), and not enough fruits and vegetables (OR (95% CI) 1.39 (1.01-1.92)) increased cancer risk.

CONCLUSION

While most people believe nutrition, alcohol, and sleep have some effect on cancer risk, women, older adults, and races other than White are more likely to believe multiple behaviors increase risk a lot. Cancer prevention information should help inform which behaviors affect risk but also focus on helping people make realistic behavior changes.