College students' perceived disease risk versus actual prevalence rates

Matthew Lee Smith; Justin B. Dickerson; Erica T. Sosa; E. Lisako; J. McKyer; Marcia G. Ory

doi:10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10

College students' perceived disease risk versus actual prevalence rates

Matthew Lee Smith, Justin B. Dickerson, Erica T. Sosa, E. Lisako, J. McKyer, Marcia G. Ory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To compare college students' perceived disease risk with disease prevalence rates. Methods: Data were analyzed from 625 college students collected with an Internet-based survey. Paired t-tests were used to separately compare participants' perceived 10-year and lifetime disease risk for 4 diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. Results: Respondents estimated their risk of developing heart disease as lower than cancer, yet rated their risk of developing heart disease as higher than diabetes and being overweight/obese. Conclusion: Incongruence between college students' perceived disease risk and disease prevalence rates calls for improved public health education.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	96-106
Number of pages	11
Journal	American Journal of Health Behavior
Volume	36
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10
State	Published - 2012

Keywords

Chronic disease prevalence
College students
Knowledge of risk factors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Social Psychology
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Access to Document

10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10

Cite this

@article{97265705cfcb4eaabe6fa415518a0fb6,

title = "College students' perceived disease risk versus actual prevalence rates",

abstract = "Objective: To compare college students' perceived disease risk with disease prevalence rates. Methods: Data were analyzed from 625 college students collected with an Internet-based survey. Paired t-tests were used to separately compare participants' perceived 10-year and lifetime disease risk for 4 diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. Results: Respondents estimated their risk of developing heart disease as lower than cancer, yet rated their risk of developing heart disease as higher than diabetes and being overweight/obese. Conclusion: Incongruence between college students' perceived disease risk and disease prevalence rates calls for improved public health education.",

keywords = "Chronic disease prevalence, College students, Knowledge of risk factors",

author = "Smith, {Matthew Lee} and Dickerson, {Justin B.} and Sosa, {Erica T.} and E. Lisako and J. McKyer and Ory, {Marcia G.}",

year = "2012",

doi = "10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "36",

pages = "96--106",

journal = "American Journal of Health Behavior",

issn = "1087-3244",

publisher = "PNG Publications",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - College students' perceived disease risk versus actual prevalence rates

AU - Smith, Matthew Lee

AU - Dickerson, Justin B.

AU - Sosa, Erica T.

AU - Lisako, E.

AU - McKyer, J.

AU - Ory, Marcia G.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Objective: To compare college students' perceived disease risk with disease prevalence rates. Methods: Data were analyzed from 625 college students collected with an Internet-based survey. Paired t-tests were used to separately compare participants' perceived 10-year and lifetime disease risk for 4 diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. Results: Respondents estimated their risk of developing heart disease as lower than cancer, yet rated their risk of developing heart disease as higher than diabetes and being overweight/obese. Conclusion: Incongruence between college students' perceived disease risk and disease prevalence rates calls for improved public health education.

AB - Objective: To compare college students' perceived disease risk with disease prevalence rates. Methods: Data were analyzed from 625 college students collected with an Internet-based survey. Paired t-tests were used to separately compare participants' perceived 10-year and lifetime disease risk for 4 diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. Results: Respondents estimated their risk of developing heart disease as lower than cancer, yet rated their risk of developing heart disease as higher than diabetes and being overweight/obese. Conclusion: Incongruence between college students' perceived disease risk and disease prevalence rates calls for improved public health education.

KW - Chronic disease prevalence

KW - College students

KW - Knowledge of risk factors

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84555218335&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84555218335&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10

DO - 10.5993/AJHB.36.1.10

M3 - Article

C2 - 22251787

AN - SCOPUS:84555218335

VL - 36

SP - 96

EP - 106

JO - American Journal of Health Behavior

JF - American Journal of Health Behavior

SN - 1087-3244

IS - 1

ER -

College students' perceived disease risk versus actual prevalence rates

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this