The Role of Online Support, Caregiving, and Gender in Preventative Cancer Genetic Testing Participation: Cross-Sectional Study From a National Study

Abstract

Background: Despite its potential to predict and detect early cancer risks, genetic testing remains underused by the public. This study, guided by the health belief model (HBM), examined key factors influencing an individual’s willingness to undergo genetic testing for cancer, with a particular focus on gender, caregiver status, and participation in online social support groups. Objective: This study aimed to explore the factors that can influence the individual’s decision to undergo preventative genetic testing for cancer so that more informed action can be taken to encourage the individuals to engage in preventative health behavior. Methods: This study uses data collected from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5 Cycle 4), which included 2947 respondents representing 199,510,996 US adults aged 18 years and older. Multivariable logistic regression and survey-weighted generalized linear models were applied to examine the relationship between cancer genetic testing and caregiver status, participation in online support groups, gender, and constructs associated with the HBM, while controlling for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Results: Our findings show that women are more likely to undergo cancer genetic testing, with gender moderating the influence of perceived susceptibility (β=2.54, P=.03) and severity (β=0.94, P