“If I Start [Primary Prevention] Now, I Can Prevent [Cancer]”: College Students Endorse Cancer Prevention Education

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Early onset colorectal cancer is linked to lifestyle-related risks, and emerging adulthood (18–25) is a key period when health behavior patterns change and persist. This qualitative study examined cancer prevention knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions among college students stratified by consideration of future cancer risk (CFC-CA): low, medium, and high. From interviews with N=43, students showed the strongest awareness of widely publicized cancers and generally viewed current protective intentions as beneficial, especially those with high CFC-CA.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Early onset colorectal cancer and lifestyle risk factors

Emerging adulthood and future-oriented health decisions

Behavioral intentions and prevention behavior mechanisms

Study purpose and rationale

“If I Start [Primary Prevention] Now, I Can Prevent [Cancer]”: College Students Endorse Cancer Prevention Education Jacqueline Knight Wilt1 · Maria D. Thomson1 Accepted: 23 January 2025 / Published online: 19 February 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Early onset colorectal cancer has been linked to lifestyle-related risk factors. Emerging adulthood (ages 18–25) has the greatest changes to lifestyle health behaviors with implications for health outcomes. College students have moderate consideration of future cancer risk (CFC-CA) when navigating current health behavior choices. This study explored cancer prevention knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions in a subset of students with low, medium and high CFC-CA. Qualitative interviews were used to explore cancer prevention among a sample of college students. We identified a stratified sample (N = 43) of high CFC-CA (n = 16), medium CFC-CA (n = 14), and low CFC-CA (n = 13) students who agreed to complete a 60-min interview on Zoom. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were coded using an iterative, lineby-line approach. Group comparisons were completed after coding was complete. Students exhibited greatest awareness of highly publicized cancers including the lung, breast, and skin. Fifty-four percent of those with low CFC-CA and 87% with high CFC-CA believe that their current health behavioral intentions are protective against cancer. Most students want more cancer education regardless of CFC-CA level to know how they can reduce their cancer risk. Differences in preferred information sources (indirect vs direct) were identified for low versus higher CFC-CA, respectively. Students’ preferences for cancer education were related to their CFC-CA scores. This could be used to tailor information content and delivery modality. Delivering cancer prevention education through means that facilitate internal reflection may be more effective for improving risk reduction behaviors. Keywords Colorectal cancer · Early onset · Perceived risk Background Cancer diagnoses and death among individuals too young for preventive population screening guidelines, recognized as early onset cancer, continue to rise globally [1]. In the USA, colorectal cancer among those age ≤ 50 is the second most common cancer diagnosis [2] . By 2030, projections from 1975 to 2010 estimate a 90% increase of colon and 124% of rectal cancers among individuals aged 20 to 34 years [3] . Early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), defined as colorectal cancer occurring before age 50 [4], has been linked to lifestyle-based risk factors including, obesity, diet, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking tobacco, and stress [5, 6] . * Maria D. Thomson [mthomson2@vcu.edu](mthomson2@vcu.edu) 1 Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, One Capital Square, Box 980430, Richmond, VA, USA Emerging adulthood (ages 18–25) encompasses some of the most substantial changes to health behaviors that are sustained into adulthood and affect the development of chronic illnesses including cancer [7]. In an Australian cohort, increasing physical activity during emerging adulthood was associated with healthier dietary patterns, better sleep, and overall self-rated health at ages 60–64 [8] . Another study found that 39% of emerging adults with protective behavior patterns sustained behaviorsin young adulthood (26–31 years), 25% adopted more protective behaviors, and only 12% higher risk behaviors [7] . Given that health behaviors established during emerging adulthood may have a sizable impact on EOCRC risk, the extent to which emerging adults are thinking about near and longer-term cancer risk is of increasing importance. Being more future-goal oriented when making behavioral decisions, measured as consideration of future consequences, is linked to health promoting lifestyle behaviors among college students [9]. We adapted this scale to measure consider

FAQs

What risk factors are associated with early onset colorectal cancer in the study?

The background links early onset colorectal cancer to lifestyle-based risks such as obesity, diet, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking tobacco, and stress.

How did the researchers measure consideration of future cancer risk (CFC-CA)?

The study used a scale adapted to capture how students consider near- and longer-term cancer risk when making health behavior choices.

What did students want most regarding cancer education?

Most students reported wanting more cancer education regardless of their CFC-CA level, specifically to learn how they can reduce their cancer risk.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr