Communicating Multiple Disease Risks: A Translation of Risk Prediction Science

Communicating Multiple Disease Risks: A Translation of Risk Prediction Science

Epidemiology seeks to improve public health by identifying risk factors for cancer and other diseases and conveying that information to relevant audiences (e.g., physicians, the public). The audience is presumed to understand and use that information to make appropriate decisions about lifestyle behaviors and medical treatments. Yet, even though a single risk factor can affect the risk of multiple health outcomes, this information is seldom communicated to people in a way that optimizes their understanding of the importance of engaging in a single healthy behavior. Providing individuals with the ability to understand how a single behavior (obtaining sufficient physical activity) could affect their risk of developing multiple diseases could foster a more coherent and meaningful picture of the behavior's importance in reducing health risks, increase motivation and intentions to engage in the behavior, and over time improve public health.

The proposed study translates epidemiological data about five diseases that cause significant morbidity and mortality (i.e., colon cancer, breast cancer (women), heart disease, diabetes, and stroke) into a visual display that conveys individualized risk estimates in a comprehensible, meaningful, and useful way to diverse lay audiences.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 30-64 years of age
• Less than (3) relevant comorbidities (diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, where cancer counts as (2) comorbidities for women but (1) for men)
• Having a SMS capable mobile phone that is not shared with anyone else

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not meeting national guidelines for aerobic physical activity (i.e., at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity)
• Participants from HRPO# 201501028 will be ineligible for this study
• Uses text messaging less than once per month