Risky feelings: Why a 6% risk of cancer does not always feel like 6%

Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J.; Fagerlin, Angela; Ubel, Peter A.

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2010.07.041

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Volume 81, Supplement 1 , Pages S87-S93, December 2010

Risky feelings: Why a 6% risk of cancer does not always feel like 6%

Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Decision Sciences in Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Corresponding author at: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA. Tel.: +1 734 936 9179; fax: +1 734 763 7379.
Angela Fagerlin
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Decision Sciences in Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Health Services Research & Development Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Peter A. Ubel
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Decision Sciences in Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Health Services Research & Development Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Received 18 January 2010; received in revised form 22 July 2010; accepted 28 July 2010. published online 26 August 2010.

Abstract

Objective

Emotion plays a strong role in the perception of risk information but is frequently underemphasized in the decision-making and communication literature. We sought to discuss and put into context several lines of research that have explored the links between emotion and risk perceptions.

Methods

In this article, we provide a focused, “state of the science” review of research revealing the ways that emotion, or affect, influences people's cancer-related decisions. We identify illustrative experimental research studies that demonstrate the role of affect in people's estimates of cancer risk, their decisions between different cancer treatments, their perceptions of the chance of cancer recurrence, and their reactions to different methods of presenting risk information.

Results

These studies show that people have strong affective reactions to cancer risk information and that the way risk information is presented often determines the emotional gist people take away from such communications.

Conclusion

Cancer researchers, educators and oncologists need to be aware that emotions are often more influential in decision making about cancer treatments and prevention behaviors than factual knowledge is.