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Physical health mindsets and information avoidance.

Abigail G O'Brien1, Jeremy L Foust2, Jennifer M Taber2

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Journal of Behavioral Medicine
|September 21, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Beliefs about health malleability (health mindsets) did not predict avoidance of personalized health risk information. However, believing one controls their health outcomes (internal health locus of control) was linked to seeking risk information.

Keywords:
Growth and fixed mindsetsHealthIncremental and entity implicit theoriesInformation avoidanceRiskRisk calculator

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Area of Science:

  • Health Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Health mindsets, beliefs about the malleability (growth) versus stability (fixed) of physical health, influence health behaviors.
  • Understanding factors that lead to avoidance of personalized health risk information is crucial for disease prevention and early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between health mindsets and the avoidance of personalized health risk information.
  • To examine whether other health-related beliefs, such as health locus of control, self-efficacy, fatalism, and genetic determinism, predict information avoidance.

Main Methods:

  • Two studies were conducted. Study 1 manipulated health mindsets and behavioral obligation in college students (n=284).
  • Study 2 measured health mindsets and related constructs (locus of control, self-efficacy, fatalism, genetic determinism) and behavioral obligation in a broader adult sample (n=735).
  • Participants viewed a prediabetes infographic and decided whether to use an online risk calculator.

Main Results:

  • Neither study found consistent evidence that health mindsets or behavioral obligation influenced intentions or behavior regarding seeking personalized health risk information.
  • Study 2 revealed a consistent association between an internal health locus of control and both intentions to seek and actual behavior of seeking risk information.
  • Other measured constructs in Study 2 did not consistently predict information avoidance.

Conclusions:

  • Health mindsets may not be a primary driver of personalized health information avoidance.
  • Promoting a belief in internal health locus of control could be a target for public health interventions to reduce health information avoidance.
  • Interventions should focus on empowering individuals to believe their actions impact health and enhancing their knowledge and skills for health improvement.