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Personal attributions for melanoma risk in melanoma-affected patients and family members

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Abstract

Personal attributions for cancer risk involve factors that individuals believe contribute to their risk for developing cancer. Understanding personal risk attributions for melanoma may dictate gene-environment melanoma risk communication strategies. We examined attributions for melanoma risk in a population-based sample of melanoma survivors, first degree family members, and family members who are also parents (N = 939). We conducted qualitative examination of open-ended risk attributions and logistic regression examining predictors (demographics, family member type, perceived risk) of the attributions reported (ultraviolet radiation [UVR] exposure, heredity/genetics, phenotype, personal melanoma history, miscellaneous). We found a predominance of risk attributions to UVR and heredity/genetics (80 and 45% of the sample, respectively). Those reporting higher education levels were more likely to endorse attributions to heredity/genetics, as well as to phenotype, than those of lower education levels. First-degree relatives and parent family members were more likely to endorse heredity/genetic attributions than melanoma survivors; melanoma survivors were more likely to endorse personal history of melanoma attributions compared to first-degree relatives and parent family members. These findings inform the development of risk communication interventions for melanoma families.

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Acknowledgments

This manuscript was completed under the grant support of R01 CA107430 to Deborah Bowen, and K07 CA98106 to Jennifer Hay. We also acknowledge the support of John Cardinale, Kira Farberov, and Ollie Ganz in completing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 641 Lexington Avenue, Seventh Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA

    Jennifer Hay

  2. Consumer Health Services International, New York, NY, USA

    Marco DiBonaventura

  3. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Raymond Baser

  4. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

    Nancy Press

  5. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Jeanne Shoveller

  6. Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Deborah Bowen

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  1. Jennifer Hay
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  2. Marco DiBonaventura
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  3. Raymond Baser
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  4. Nancy Press
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  5. Jeanne Shoveller
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  6. Deborah Bowen
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Correspondence to Jennifer Hay.

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Hay, J., DiBonaventura, M., Baser, R. et al. Personal attributions for melanoma risk in melanoma-affected patients and family members. J Behav Med 34, 53–63 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-010-9286-4

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