ASPO Abstracts
Associations between higher impulsivity and cancer risk behaviors in a large, non-clinical adult population
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose: Despite substantial evidence linking behaviors such as smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and low intake of fruits and vegetables to increased risk of cancer, millions of individuals continue to engage in these behaviors. Behavioral interventions frequently apply models of health behavior change, yet, few have accounted for individual personality traits that may impact intervention success. Impulsivity has gained attention as a behavioral construct that could potentially influence intervention success as impulsivity is characterized by a lack of response inhibition and an inability to delay gratification. Yet, little work has examined the association between impulsivity and cancer risk behaviors in a large adult population. Methods: Impulsivity is commonly measured using the Barrett Impulsivity Scale (BIS), a validated assessment that provides total and subscale scores. We analyzed impulsivity and cancer risk behaviors of participants in the Healthy Oregon Project (HOP), a large cohort of adults who completed the BIS-15. As of May 2022, there were 28,418 unique participants in the HOP cohort, with 7,561 participants who completed the BIS-15, 20,217 who completed lifestyle and behaviors surveys, and 7,378 who completed both sets of metrics and are included in the current analyses. Results: Participants were largely female (80%) and non-Hispanic White (89%). Mean age was 44 years and impulsivity total scores ranged from 15 to 59 (mean 30.9). After adjusting for age, gender, race-ethnicity and body mass index, behaviors consistent with increased cancer risk, specifically smoking, heavy drinking, higher consumption of meat and higher refined vs. whole grains consumption were significantly associated with higher levels of impulsiveness (p<0.001). Whereas behaviors considered to be cancer preventive, specifically physical activity, and fruit and vegetable intake were significantly associated with lower levels of impulsiveness (p<0.001). Conclusion: Impulsivity may be an important construct to consider in behavior change interventions that impact cancer risk.
Keywords: Risk behaviors Impulsivity Intervention