Exploring the role of cancer fatalism and engagement with skin cancer genetic information in diverse primary care patients Journal Article
| Authors: | Hay, J. L.; Wu, Y.; Schofield, E.; Kaphingst, K.; Sussman, A. L.; Guest, D. D.; Hunley, K.; Li, Y.; Buller, D.; Berwick, M. |
| Article Title: | Exploring the role of cancer fatalism and engagement with skin cancer genetic information in diverse primary care patients |
| Abstract: | Objective: To broaden the currently limited reach of genomic innovations, research is needed to understand how psychosocial and cultural factors influence reactions to genetic testing in diverse subgroups. Cancer fatalism is important in cancer prevention and deserves theoretical and empirical attention in the context of genomics and behavior change. Methods: The current study employed data from a randomized controlled trial (N = 593) offering skin cancer genetic testing (using the melanocortin-1 receptor [MC1R] gene) in primary care in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. We examined interrelations of cancer fatalism with demographics, general health beliefs, perceived risk, perceived control, sun protection and skin screening behaviors and cancer worry in the skin cancer context stratified across Hispanic versus non-Hispanic ethnicity, and examined cancer fatalism as a moderator of intervention effects on study primary outcomes, including 3-month sun protection, cancer worry and perceived risk. Results: Cancer fatalism was significantly related to the perception of control over skin cancer risk behaviors (ps ≤ 0.01) and demographics (ethnicity, education, health literacy; ps < 0.05), but not consistently related to general health beliefs or risk perception. Cancer fatalism did not moderate intervention effects on primary outcomes, except those with higher cancer fatalism randomized to intervention had higher levels of 3-month cancer worry (p = 0.019). Conclusions: These findings will guide future work considering the role of cancer fatalism in use of genomic technologies in the general population. This work anticipates strategies required to address cancer fatalism as translational genomics becomes more commonly available to diverse general population subgroups. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
| Keywords: | adult; controlled study; aged; genetics; cancer risk; cancer prevention; skin neoplasms; randomized controlled trial; skin cancer; psychology; cancer screening; attitude to health; oncology; skin tumor; genomics; health belief; attitude to illness; cancer control; health knowledge, attitudes, practice; educational status; genetic screening; melanocortin 1 receptor; primary medical care; ethnicity; genetic testing; risk reduction behavior; attitudes; primary health care; hispanic; health literacy; behavioral; behavior change; skin protection; mc1r gene; demographics; sociodemographic factors; very elderly; cancer; humans; human; male; female; article; patient worry; health psychology; new mexico; hispanic or latino; cancer fatalism |
| Journal Title: | Psycho-Oncology |
| Volume: | 33 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| ISSN: | 1057-9249 |
| Publisher: | John Wiley & Sons |
| Date Published: | 2024-04-01 |
| Start Page: | e6331 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1002/pon.6331 |
| PUBMED: | 38546209 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC11391671 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) acknowledged in PDF -- MSK corresponding author is Jennifer Hay -- Source: Scopus |
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
Related MSK Work