DO CIGARETTE SMOKERS HAVE UNREALISTIC PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR HEART-ATTACK, CANCER, AND STROKE RISKS

This study examined whether perceived risks of heart attack, cancel; a nd stroke were higher among smokers than nonsmokers; whether smokers w ere move likely to underestimate these risks; and the demographic corr elates of unrealistic risk estimation among smokers. Two thousand seve n hundred eight-five patients from 12 North Carolina family practices completed a questionnaire including a health risk appraisal and questi ons concerning smoking behavior and perceived risks of heart attack, c ancer and stroke. While most smokers accurately perceived their health risks to be greater than nonsmokers: smokers were also more likely to underestimate their risks. This optimistic distortion of risk was ass ociated with age, gender and education levels. Smokers may not yet und erstand the magnitude of health risk posed by smoking. These data sugg est the need for renewed attention to perceptions of the health risks of smoking. As long as smokers underestimate their risks, they underes timate the imperative to quit.