The role of self-efficacy in cancer information avoidance

Abstract

Our study highlights the roles of health- And information-related self-efficacy in individuals’ tendency to avoid cancer information. Drawing on a large (n = 3,677), nationally representative survey data, we explored differences between information avoiders vs. non-avoiders and identified the contributing factors to individuals’ health and information efficacy. We then developed a path model of information avoidance to investigate two main issues. First, we ascertained that the relationship between people’s health efficacy and their preference for information avoidance is mediated by their healthcare use and perceived quality of care. Second, we discovered that individual’s trust toward health information sources is a key component in understanding their information efficacy and their preference for information avoidance. Trust is positively associated with information efficacy and mediates the relationship between information efficacy and information avoidance. Understanding who prefers to avoid health information and in which situations and why is critical to improving the state of health justice in this country.