An Investigation into Risk Perception among First-degree Relatives of Patients with Colorectal Cancer and Relevant Influencing Factors

Objective: This study aimed to investigate risk perception among first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and to analyze influencing factors. Methods: 406 FDRs of CRC patients were selected as the participants through convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Colorectal were analyzed using univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Participants had an average age of 41.90 +/- 14.76 years. The composition of participants included siblings at 45.9%, parents at 4.2%, and children at 49.4%. The risk perception score of 2.80 +/- 0.96 was obtained from participants. The Pearson correlation analysis results demonstrated that the total anxiety score of participants was positively correlated with the total risk perception score (r=0.39, p<.001), and the health belief score was also positively correlated with the risk perception score (r=0.49, p<.001). Moreover, the multiple regression analysis results revealed that the risk perception of participants was mainly affected by their education level, monthly household income per person, health beliefs, and level of anxiety (R-2=0.34, F=21.92, p<.001). Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should place greater emphasis on assessing risk perception among participants, with a particular focus on those with lower education levels, lower incomes, and weaker health beliefs. They should also promptly monitor changes in family members' emotions and develop personalized clinical intervention plans based on individual characteristics, aiming to enhance this group's risk awareness and prevent the onset of disease.