Background . A substantial proportion of cancer deaths could be prevented through early detection and changes to health behaviors. The Common Sense Model of illness representations posits that how people think about (i.e., represent) an illness has important implications for how they try to prevent and detect the illness. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether prevention representations vary by cancer type (colon, lung, and skin cancer) and whether representations are associated with cancer-relevant behaviors.
Methods . Data were analyzed from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 2005), a nationally representative survey of American adults (N=5,586) conducted by telephone interview.
Results . Respondents reported that all three types of cancer can be prevented through healthy behaviors; however, fewer did so for colon cancer. More respondents spontaneously reported screening as a prevention strategy for colon cancer than did so for lung or skin cancer. Recent colon cancer screeners listed more primary colon cancer prevention behaviors than never screeners. Compared to current smokers, never and former smokers listed more lung cancer primary prevention behaviors. Respondents who used sunscreen often reported more skin cancer primary prevention behaviors than never sunscreen users.
Conclusions . Lay representations of cancer were associated with related health behaviors, and represent a ready target for health messages and interventions.