Is genetic makeup a perceived health risk: analysis of a national survey of Canadians

Discoveries in human genetics research over the last two decades could influence how the public views health risks and whether they assign genes a primary role in causing illness. Using data from the 2004 Canadian National Health Risk Perception Survey, this analysis explored the perceived risk of genetic makeup and its role in disease, as well as perceptions of the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, depression, long-term disabilities and asthma. A stratified random sample of 1503 Canadians participated in the telephone survey. Genetic makeup was thought to pose a moderate health risk to Canadians, with some notable demographic differences. Perceived risk of genetic makeup was related to the perceived risk of developing adverse health outcomes. However, genetic makeup, lifestyle and the environment were all endorsed as possible causes of cancer, with respondents agreeing that cancer depended on lifestyle more than genetic makeup or the environment. The current analysis provides little evidence that Canadians hold overly deterministic attitudes about the role of genes in the induction of human disease. Results have implications for the construction of health-risk messages and health promotion campaigns.