Perceptions of health risks of cigarette smoking: A new measure reveals widespread misunderstanding.

ABSTRACT: Most Americans recognize that smoking causes serious diseases, yet many Americans continue to smoke. One possible explanation for this paradox is that perhaps Americans do not accurately perceive the extent to which smoking increases the probability of adverse health outcomes. This paper examines the accuracy of Americans' perceptions of the absolute risk, attributable risk, and relative risk of lung cancer, and assesses which of these beliefs drive Americans' smoking behavior. Using data from three national surveys, statistical analyses were performed by comparing means, medians, and distributions, and by employing Generalized Additive Models. Perceptions of relative risk were associated as expected with smoking onset and smoking cessation, whereas perceptions of absolute risk and attribu

SUBMITTER: Krosnick JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5555635 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature