Risk Communication and Worry About Breast Cancer

Feedback concerning breast cancer risk was provided to 59 college-aged women who were overestimating their personal risk. In a 2 (Absolute Risk Feedback; yes or no) × 2 (Comparative Risk Feedback; yes or no) design, women completed a brief risk questionnaire and then received both, one, or neither kind of risk feedback. Absolute information reduced estimates of vulnerability, although not to the levels suggested by the feedback. Absolute feedback had no effect on worry about breast cancer, but worry was lower for women who learned that they were no more at risk than other, similar women.