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PubMed1993

Perception of risk in women with a family history of breast cancer.

We present the findings of a pilot study to assess the perception of risk in 155 women with a family history of breast cancer by questionnaire. Only 11% of women were able to identify the correct population risk and more than half were unable to assess their own lifetime risk within 50% of the clinicians' estimate. Although it is probable that women are helped by genetic counselling and if at substantial risk, annual mammography, the psychological impact of assigning true risk and the value of mammography need to be evaluated.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Perceptions of risk and strategies for prevention: responses to HIV/AIDS in rural Malawi.

This paper combines quantitative and qualitative data to investigate changes in perceived risk of contracting HIV/AIDS in rural Malawi. Using longitudinal survey data, we find that Malawians worried less about contracting HIV/AIDS in 2001 than in 1998. According to qualitative interviews and observational journal accounts, HIV/AIDS and strategies to prevent it are a frequent topic of conversation amongst married Malawians. Women report worrying most about their husbands as a possible source of infection, discussing with them the importance of avoiding infection, and, increasingly, using divorce to reduce their risk. Men report worrying most about their extramarital partners and adopting preventive strategies such as fewer partners and more careful partner selection. We show that the decline in perceived risk is significantly associated with declines in the behaviors that Malawians worry most about and perceptions of risk in individuals' social networks. We interpret these findings as evidence that Malawians are changing their behavior in ways that may reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2004

Randomized trial of a parent intervention: parents can make a difference in long-term adolescent risk behaviors, perceptions, and knowledge.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous interventions have been demonstrated to reduce targeted adolescent risk behaviors for brief periods, sustained behavior changes covering multiple risk behaviors have been elusive. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a parental monitoring intervention (Informed Parents and Children Together [ImPACT]) with and without boosters can further reduce adolescent truancy, substance abuse, and sexual risk behaviors and can alter related perceptions 24 months after intervention among youth who have all received an adolescent risk-reduction intervention, Focus on Kids (FOK). DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, 3-celled longitudinal trial. SETTING: Thirty-five low-income, urban community sites. PARTICIPANTS: Eight hundred seventeen African American youth aged 13 to 16 at baseline. Intervention All youth participated in FOK, an 8-session, theory-based, small group, face-to-face risk-reduction intervention, 496 youth and parents received the 1-session ImPACT intervention (a videotape and discussion), 238 of the ImPACT youth also received four 90-minute FOK boosters delivered in small groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses at baseline and 24 months after intervention to a questionnaire assessing risk and protective behaviors and perceptions. Analyses used General Linear Modeling, intraclass correlation coefficient, analysis of covariance, and multiple comparisons with least significant difference test adjustment. RESULTS: After adjusting for the intraclass correlation coefficient, 6 of 16 risk behaviors were significantly reduced (P< or =.05) among youth receiving ImPACT compared with youth who only received FOK (respectively, mean number of days suspended, 0.65 vs 1.17; carry a bat as a weapon, 4.1% vs 9.6%; smoked cigarettes, 12.5% vs 22.7%; used marijuana, 18.3% vs 26.8%; used other illicit drugs, 1.4% vs 5.6%; and, asked sexual partner if condom always used, 77.9% vs 64.9%). Four of the 7 theory-based subscales reflected significant protective changes among youth who received ImPACT. ImPACT did not produce any significant adverse effects on behaviors or perceptions. CONCLUSION: A parent monitoring intervention can significantly broaden and sustain protection beyond that conferred through an adolescent risk-reduction intervention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Effects of personality, cognitive, and situational variables on risk taking behavior].

This study examined the effects of individual difference and situation on risk taking behavior. In Experiment 1, 115 undergraduates completed a questionnaire of personality (sensation seeking, optimism, etc.) and their risk taking behavior, risk perception, and anxiety in eight situations: personal, social, gain-loss, and loss situations. Results indicated an effect of personality on risk taking behavior in personal gain-loss situations (sports and life event), which was mediated by perceived risk controllability. In Experiment 2, 137 undergraduates completed a questionnaire of personality, cognitive variables (risk perception, own competence, and perceived cost and benefit), and risk taking behavior in personal gain-loss situations (sports, life event, and gambling). Results of covariance structure analysis showed that perceived risk controllability affected the relationship between the variables. For instance, risk significance and perceived cost and benefit mediated the effect of 'controllability with skills' on risk taking behavior in the controllable situation (e.g., sports). Similarly, competence and risk perception mediated the effect of 'uncontrollable luck factors' in the chance situation (e.g., life event).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perception of risk and surveillance practices of women with a family history of breast cancer.

A retrospective study was designed to examine the relationship between perception of risk and surveillance activities (mammography and clinical breast examination) in women with a family history of breast cancer. The Revised Susceptibility, Benefits, and Barriers Scale for Mammography Screening, the Centre for Epidemiology Studies--Depression Scale (CES-D), and a demographic form were administered to a convenience sample of 56 women. There were no significant relationships between perceived risk and screening activities. No significant correlations were found between age or depressive symptoms with either perceived risk or screening behaviors. Women with postsecondary qualifications were more likely to obtain regular mammograms. A substantial portion (34.5%) of participants reported depressive symptoms at a level associated with clinically significant levels of depression (>or=16 on the CES-D). Women over age 50 reported significantly more depressive symptoms than younger women. Perceived risk was not associated with screening; however, depression should be considered closely when dealing with women with higher-than-average risk of breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Sun behaviour and perceptions of risk for melanoma among 21-year-old New Zealanders.

This study investigated perceived risk of melanoma, sunscreen use and frequency of sunburn in a large sample of young New Zealanders. A self-report questionnaire was administered to a sample of 909 21-year-olds to survey their perception of how sun behaviours affect their risk of getting melanoma, how often they get sunburn, how often they use sunscreen and what factors would get them to use sunscreen more often. Knowledge of melanoma was high, but myths concerning 'safe tanning' persisted. Many young adults believed that sunbathing regularly using a sunscreen and obtaining a good base tan from gradual sun exposure decreased their risk of getting melanoma. They were unsure about the use of artificial sun beds and if their use would increase or decrease their risk. Males and females differed significantly on many aspects of their sun behaviour. Most used sunscreen only 'sometimes' and its use was linked to knowledge of melanoma and perceptions of risk. The best way to modify the sun behaviour of young adults is to target both their knowledge of melanoma risk factors and their perceptions of risk.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

'It's in the nature of men': women's perception of risk for HIV/AIDS in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The paper examines the context of women's risk for HIV by assessing men's and women's sexual behaviour, attitudes towards sex work, and perception of risk for HIV in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The findings are based on data collected in the mid-1990s, at the height of the epidemic. A range of significant issues were highlighted by the men and women who participated in this study. First, some men continued to have unsafe sex with sex workers. Second, fear of HIV motivated men to seek out friends and acquaintances instead of sex workers for sexual encounters because they were considered 'safe' from infection. Third, women in this study were largely unaware of this expansion of the sexual network beyond the sex work itself. Lastly, women's sexuality was largely unrecognized in public health responses, or by the male and female participants, leaving them at risk for HIV.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

How beliefs about substance use differ by socio-demographic characteristics, individual experiences, and neighborhood environments among urban adolescents.

In this article, we tested a series of Item Response Theory (IRT) models to examine the individual and neighborhood variation in perceived risk along dimensions of substance use (alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs) and usage patterns (light/experimental use, moderate use, heavy/regular use). Data were gathered from 2266 adolescents aged 9, 12, and 15 residing in 79 Chicago neighborhoods. Developmental patterns for age and amount of use were observed whereby older respondents rated alcohol and marijuana as less harmful compared to the younger respondents, but rated hard drugs as more harmful. Risk perceptions were found to be more closely tied to one's direct experience with drugs rather than a general constellation of beliefs. Neighborhood variation in risk perceptions was also observed for hard drugs and three patterns of use, controlling for characteristics of individual residents. Neighborhoods did not vary in risk perceptions toward alcohol use. Individual-level factors rather than characteristics of the neighborhoods explained the observed neighborhood variation in perceptions toward marijuana use. These findings illustrate the complex links between individual and contextual factors in the development of beliefs about the health risks associated with substance use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Pilots' perception of risks and hazards in general aviation.

A sample of licensed pilots completed the Aeronautical Risk Judgment Questionnaire (ARJQ) which was developed to obtain data on pilots' perceptions of their abilities, willingness to take risks, hazard awareness, and judgments of the risks of general aviation. A subset of these subjects was tested on a computerised test of flight decision-making involving a proposed VFR flight in marginal weather conditions. Results from the ARJQ indicate relatively low levels of risk and hazard awareness combined with a generally optimistic self-appraisal of abilities by this sample of general aviation pilots. Younger subjects (under 30) were found to rate the likelihood of being involved in an accident more highly than did older pilots. Experienced pilots obtained higher scores on a measure of "personal invulnerability" from factors commonly associated with accidents. This does not appear to be due simply to overconfidence in their abilities, since it was the younger and less experienced pilots who held the most unrealistically optimistic appraisals of their ability. Pilots who proceeded with the computerised flight rate themselves as having a greater willingness to take risks, and were likely to be younger and have higher total hours than those who rejected the flight. They were also found to have significantly higher scores on the measure of "personal invulnerability." The results are discussed in relation to previous epidemiological findings and possible safety prevention strategies.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2005

Is peer education the best approach for HIV prevention in schools? Findings from a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of peer education when compared to teacher-led curricula in AIDS prevention programs conducted in schools in Rome, Italy. METHODS: Eighteen high schools were randomly assigned to one of two prevention programs: one led by teachers and the other by peer leaders. A sample of students attending the last 2 years (n = 1295) completed pre and post-intervention questionnaires. Changes in sexual behaviors, knowledge, prevention skills, risk perception and attitudes were first evaluated within each intervention group. Afterwards, changes in knowledge, prevention skills, risk perception, and attitudes total scale scores (post-test scores minus pre-test scores) were compared between the two groups, through linear regression models, in order to control for confounders, taking into account the within-school correlation in score changes. As for sexual behaviors, number of sexual partners and frequency of condom use in the 3 months before post-test were compared by intervention group through ordinal regression models, also taking into account behaviors reported before pre-test. RESULTS: For both groups, we observed significant improvements in skills, knowledge, attitudes and risk perception. The peer-led group showed a 6.7% (95% C.I. 1.9-11.5) scores greater improvement in knowledge, compared to the teacher-led group. In neither group were improvements observed in condom use or number of sexual partners. CONCLUSIONS: The only apparent benefit of the peer-led intervention, compared to that led by teachers, was a greater improvement in knowledge of HIV. Neither of the interventions induced changes in sexual behavior. However, the role of possible biases and methodological problems must be considered when interpreting these results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Adolescents' perception of risk and challenge: a qualitative study.

Concern has been mounting about the increasing numbers of adolescents who engage in risky behaviours. This qualitative study aimed to identify adolescents' perception of risk and explored the factors that adolescents felt influenced their decisions about engaging in risky behaviours. The results indicated that adolescents perceived risk to be something where the outcome was uncontrollable. In contrast, challenges were thought of as having a known end point that was difficult to achieve. They considered themselves to be well-informed about health risks facing them, yet mentioned occasions when they lacked the ability to state that they did not want to engage in certain "risky" behaviours. The implications of the findings for future interventions are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Fear of contagion and AIDS: nurses' perception of risk.

Nurses' fear of contagion when caring for persons with AIDS remains high despite increased levels of knowledge. This paper examines the multiple factors that contribute to nurses' perception of risk within the workplace. The authors suggests that constructs from theories such as decision making, psychoanalysis and cognitive psychology can provide insight into the assessment of risk. Findings from a recent survey of nurses are used to illustrate the complex nature of fear of contagion. Understanding this complexity may be an essential first step in order to provide opportunities for resolution of fears and modification of behaviors.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2006

[Sexual relations and the perception of risk of acquiring STD/AIDS among young adult men in Lima, Peru].

The purpose of this study was to identify men's co-responsibility in the negotiation process of dual protection, according gender, in their first and most recent sexual relationships, and their perception of the risk of STD/AIDS. We surveyed 750 males from 19 to 29 years of age in 2,250 randomly selected households in metropolitan Lima, Peru. The majority mentioned condoms as a contraceptive technique (95%). Their first sexual relationships occurred with a female friend, with a stable partner, or with a known woman. Almost half used some type of protection, principally condoms in order to avoid pregnancy, but their consistent and correct use was low. For 39.5%, the most recent sexual relationship was with a stable partner, a female friend or "known" woman, a wife, or a female co-resident. Dialogue about protection increased between the first and the most recent sexual relationships. The perception of risk of acquiring STD/AIDS was low, and they tended to use protection only with an "unknown partner".

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2002

Perception of risk information. Similarities and differences between Danish and Polish general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to gain better insight into how general practitioners (GPs) perceive risk reduction and the way this perception may be influenced by healthcare environment. DESIGN: Questionnaires with clinical episodes were sent to Danish and Polish GPs, who were randomised into four groups, each receiving the same case story with differently phrased information about risk reduction achieved through medical treatment. The GPs were asked whether they would recommend medical treatment, knowing the case story and expected risk reduction. SUBJECTS: Danish and Polish GPs. RESULTS: A greater proportion of Polish GPs than Danish GPs would definitely or probably recommend treatment (93% versus 72%; p < 0.001). Both groups of doctors were more inclined to recommend treatment when the achievable benefits were presented in terms of relative risk reduction rather than absolute risk reduction or number needed to treat. CONCLUSION: Neither information on number needed to treat nor relative risk reduction alone provides doctors with all the information they need to recommend treatment or prevention to their patients. The present study showed that the professional handling of risk information is affected by differences produced by healthcare cultures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

AIDS-related risk behavior of young college students.

Protected sex is crucial in reducing college students' risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Trends indicate college students are knowledgeable about HIV prevention measures, yet underestimate their HIV/AIDS risk in light of their sexual behavior, which they fail to alter in significant ways. The purposes of this exploratory correlational study were to: (a) explore the relationship between AIDS risk perception, self-efficacy, AIDS knowledge, and select demographics on ARRB, (b) compare gender and ethnic differences and (c) assess the validity and reliability of the three psychometric instruments (AIDS Risk Perception question, the AIDS Self-efficacy Survey and the Relative AIDS Risk Index) and the National AIDS Awareness Test. Participants were 407 undergraduates who attended one of three state-supported collegiate institutions in Florida. The psychometric instruments were found valid and reliable. Sixty percent of the students engaged in unprotected sex and 59% engaged in sex while under the influence of alcohol. AIDS risk perception and self-efficacy explained 20% of the variance in AIDS-related risk behavior. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2005

Social networks, perceptions of risk, and changing attitudes towards HIV/AIDS: new evidence from a longitudinal study using fixed-effects analysis.

The study presented here is an investigation of the importance of social interactions to perceptions of the risk of AIDS, and explores spousal communication about the AIDS epidemic in rural Malawi. A fixed-effects analysis based on longitudinal data collected in 1998 and 2001 shows that social interactions on the subject of HIV/AIDS have significant and substantial effects on respondents' perceptions of the risk of HIV/AIDS, even after controlling for unobserved factors that affect the selection of social networks. These effects are more complex than previously thought. The dominant mechanisms--social learning and social influence--are found to vary by sex and by region, because of regional variations in the marriage pattern and the resulting implications for the formation of local social networks. The conclusion of the study is that rather than fostering denial and inaction, social interactions are an important vector of change in the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Perceptions of risk of cervical cancer and attitudes towards cervical screening: a comparison of smokers and non-smokers.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare smokers' and non-smokers' perceptions of risks of cervical cancer and attitudes towards cervical screening. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 722 women aged between 20 and 64 years. RESULTS: While smokers perceived their relative risk of heart disease to be greater than that of non-smokers, they did not perceive their risks of cervical cancer to be greater. Smokers held less positive attitudes towards cervical screening than did non-smokers. Smokers and non-smokers did not differ in their intentions to attend for cervical screening: for both groups, intentions were very high. Using logistic regression analysis, both attitudes towards cervical screening [odds ratio (OR) 1.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-2.2] and perceived relative risk of developing cervical cancer (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.1) were predictive of intentions to attend for screening, as well as educational level (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.2-11.3) and marital status (OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.3-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Smokers seem unaware of their increased risks of cervical cancer and hence the increased value for them of regular smears. Evaluations are needed to determine the effectiveness of interventions delivered in the context of cervical screening aimed at (i) raising smokers' awareness of their increased risk of cervical cancer and (ii) stopping smoking.

Adult↗