Feel Worried, Overloaded, or Fatalistic? The Determinants of Cancer Uncertainty Management Preferences

ABSTRACT

Uncertainty in the context of cancer involves a complex and conflicting decision-making process. Individual preferences of seeking or avoiding information in the decisions of maintaining, reducing, or increasing uncertainty often depend on key cancer-related beliefs. The present study investigates whether cancer worry (CW), information overload (CIO), or fatalism (CF) can predict four constructs of uncertainty management preferences – avoid to maintain hope, avoid insufficient information, seek to increase uncertainty, and seek to reduce uncertainty. A hybrid model with structural and measurement components was specified and tested. The model analysis shows that cancer-related beliefs influenced individuals’ needs and preferences for uncertainty management through seeking or avoiding information. CW was positively related to all but avoiding insufficient information. CIO was positively associated with all four preferences. CF was only associated with avoiding to maintain uncertainty. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article. The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded in part by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami.