user perceptions and reactions to an online cancer risk assessment tool: a process evaluation of cancer risk check

Online cancer risk assessment tools, which provide personalized cancer information and recommendations based on personal data input by users, are a promising cancer education approach; however, few tools have been evaluated. a randomized controlled study was conducted to compare user impressions of one tool, cancer risk check (crc), to non-personalized educational information delivered online as series of self-advancing slides (the control). crc users (n = 1452) rated the tool to be as interesting as the control (p > .05), but users were more likely to report that the information was difficult to understand and not applicable to them (p < .05). information seeking and sharing also were lower among crc users; thus, although impressions of crc were favorable, it was not shown to be superior to existing approaches. we hypothesized crc was less effective because it contained few visual and graphical elements; therefore, crc was compared to a text-based control (online pdf file) post hoc. crc users rated the information to be more interesting, less difficult to understand, and better able to hold their attention (p < .05). post hoc results suggest the visual presentation of risk is critical to tool success.