Lay beliefs about the preventability of major health conditions

Abstract

Beliefs about the extent to which health problems can be prevented reflect an understanding that preventive measures can reduce adverse health events and the level of control individuals perceive that they hold over the factors that affect their health. A population survey of 1659 people conducted in 1995 in south western Sydney, Australia, found that only child drownings, tooth decay, skin cancer, and burns and scalds were considered all or mostly preventable by more than 50% of the sample. The majority of respondents did not believe that heart attacks, cervical cancer, high blood pressure, serious road injury, lung cancer and asthma deaths were all or mostly preventable. Logistic regression analysis showed that people born in an English speaking country, those with more than 10 years of education and men were significantly more likely to recognize a number of key conditions as highly preventable. The findings suggest that, in spite of the range of prevention efforts in Australia to date, these are not matched by strong beliefs within the community that prevention is possible. Communication of the opportunities and methods for prevention needs to be improved, particularly among certain population groups. The findings also indicate a need to examine social and environmental factors which are potentially reducing confidence, and subsequently and adoption of preventive behaviours.

Public beliefs about the preventability of unintentional injury deaths

“…The finding that educational attainment seems to be a powerful predictor of preventability beliefs is consistent with results which have been previously reported (Mulligan-Smith et al, 1998;Smith et al, 1999). It is noteworthy, however, that for fire deaths income rather than education predicted preventability beliefs.…”

“…This association has been previously reported for childhood drownings (Smith et al, 1999). It may be due, in part, to a cohort effect.…”

“…A large (n= 1659) Australian study found that 'child drowning' was perceived as relatively more preventable, and 'road injuries' less preventable, when compared to burns and scalds (Smith et al, 1999). Interpretation of this finding is complicated, however, by the mixed age referents used by investigators.…”

Fatalistic Beliefs about Cancer Prevention and Three Prevention Behaviors

“…The sheer volume of news coverage about cancer causes and prevention (36,37) has led to broad speculation about its role in promoting fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention (15,22,(38)(39)(40). Others suggest that cancer fatalism is a deeply ingrained product of social and cultural experience that results in a broader life philosophy of nihilism, angst, and helplessness (9,10,25).…”

Diferenças do valor preditivo da Teoria da Acção Planeada na intenção de adoptar comportamentos preventivos para o cancro de pele: O papel do optimismo e da percepção da doença em indivíduos saudáveis

“…Por exemplo, um estudo recente verificou que os indivíduos que percepcionavam os efeitos negativos do cancro da pele na sua aparência, mas não na sua saúde em geral, apresentavam uma maior probabilidade de adoptar um comportamento preventivo para o cancro da pele (Jones et al, 2000). A crença sobre a forma como as doenças podem ser prevenidas e o nível de controlo que os indivíduos sentem que têm sobre os factores que podem afectar a sua saúde reflectem uma percepção de que medidas preventivas podem reduzir a probabilidade de eventos adversos (Smith et al, 1999). O aparente insucesso de campanhas de prevenção, ou de programas de intervenção, em produzir alterações do comportamento ilustra a necessidade de identificar factores que podem ter uma maior influência na promoção deste tipo de comportamentos preventivos.…”