Interactive Beliefs about Genes and Behavior Predict Improved Sun Protection Following Melanoma Genetic Counseling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Little is known about how members of cancer-prone families think about genetic determinism and whether personal behavior can amplify or counter genetic risk for disease.

Purpose

Understanding how people think about the impact of personal behavior on disease risk may inform communications about genetic risks and their management.

Methods

We assessed three sets of beliefs about the impact of behavior on genetic risk-interactive (unhealthful behaviors can amplify genetic risk), subtractive (healthful behaviors can reduce genetic risk), and deterministic (genes primarily determine health outcomes)-among 114 unaffected members of melanoma-prone families receiving genetic counseling (51.6% men, average age = 35.3). We examined whether these beliefs predicted chan

SUBMITTER: Aspinwall LG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9345182 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature