It Won't Happen to Me: Lower Perception of Heart Disease Risk among Women with Family Histories of Breast Cancer

Background. The threat that breast cancer poses to American women, particularly to women with family histories of the disease, has received widespread atten tion in both medical and popular literatures. While this emphasis may have laudable consequences on breast cancer screening, it may also have a negative consequence, obscuring women's recognition of their risks for other health threats, such as heart disease. This study examined the possibility that women with family histories of breast cancer may be particularly susceptible to overestimating their risks of breast cancer while minimizing their risks of cardiovascular disease. Methods. Healthy women with (n = 73) and without n = 104) family histories of breast cancer (64% African American, 26% Caucasian, 10% other ethnicities, mean age 41.7 years) were recruited from medical centers in New York City, and completed questionnaires concerning their family histories and perceptions of risk. Results. Consistent with the study hypothesis, women with family histories of breast cancer had significantly higher perceived lifetime risk of breast cancer (P < 0.0002) but lower perceived lifetime risk of heart disease (P < 0.002) than women without family histories. Additionally, women with family histories of breast cancer had lower perceived colon cancer risk (P < 0.02), suggesting that women with family histories of breast cancer may be underestimating their risks for a variety of diseases. Conclusion. The emphasis on breast cancer risk, especially for women with family histories of the disease, may need to be balanced by educational efforts concerning women's risk of other diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease.