How Do Australians Manage Diagnostic Testing Risks? Focus Groups Linked to a Model of Behaviour Change

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Behavioral Science
• Medical Decision Making

Background:

• Effective communication about diagnostic test risks is essential for informed decision-making by the public.
• Understanding laypeople's perceptions of testing risks is crucial for developing targeted communication strategies.
• Previous research has limited insight into how individuals understand and manage diagnostic testing risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore lay Australians' perceptions of diagnostic testing risks.
• To investigate how individuals negotiate and manage these risks in practice.
• To identify factors influencing risk perception and decision-making regarding diagnostic tests.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 12 semistructured online focus groups with 61 Australian adults (aged 18+).
• Explored attitudes towards diagnostic tests, their associated risks, and risk management strategies using hypothetical scenarios.
• Analyzed themes, subanalyzed for age and gender differences, and mapped findings to the COM-B model of behavior change.

Main Results:

• Identified six themes detailing how participants felt empowered but acknowledged influences from health workers, personal experiences, and structural factors.
• The COM-B model highlighted opportunities for health promotion and identified barriers like narrow risk concepts and overestimation of personal influence.
• Age and gender differences in risk negotiation and management were observed.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide a novel, detailed account of lay beliefs about testing risks, linked to a behavior change model.
• This research directly informs the development of improved risk/benefit communication for diagnostic tests.
• Insights will shape patient-centered decision tools for medical testing.