CHANGING INACCURATE PERCEPTIONS OF HEALTH RISK - RESULTS FROM A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

We sought to identify and correct inaccurate perceptions of risk among 1,317 adult patients in a primary care setting. Patients' perceived r isks of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and motor vehicle crash were ass essed and compared with a measure of risk derived from a health risk a ppraisal. Patients were then randomly assigned to receive computer-gen erated individualized risk feedback, risk feedback plus behavioral cha nge feedback, or no feedback. Changes in perceived risk from baseline to a 6-month follow-up were compared across study groups. Results show ed that individualized risk feedback was effective in increasing perce ived stroke risk among patients who had underestimated their stroke ri sk at baseline and in reducing perceived risk of cancer among patients who had overestimated their cancer risk at baseline. Individualized r isk feedback did not alter patients' perception of their heart attack and motor vehicle crash risks.