Effects of Risk Presentation Format and Frequently Asked Questions on Breast Cancer Risk Skepticism

The purpose of this study is to find out whether the way a breast cancer risk estimate ispresented affects how women feel about their risk and whether they believe the estimateis accurate for them. Women aged 39‐74 will complete an online survey in which theyreceive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate using the Breast Cancer RiskAssessment Tool (BCRAT). The study includes two experiments. In the first experiment,women are randomly assigned to receive their estimate in different formats: some will seetheir risk over 5 years, 10 years, or a lifetime, and some will see their risk expressedout of 100 women or out of 1,000 women. In the second experiment, women receive theirestimate and then have the opportunity to read answers to frequently asked questionsabout how breast cancer risk is calculated and what the estimate means. In bothexperiments, women are asked whether they believe the estimate reflects their true risk.Both experiments are conducted online through a national survey panel.