General Population Survey Research Articles

Prevalence and characteristics of participants in Dry January 2024: findings from a general population survey in France

BackgroundDry January is a one-month alcohol abstinence challenge for the general population running since 2013 in the United Kingdom, and 2020 in France. Dry January has gained increasing popularity among the public, but studies assessing the individual characteristics associated with awareness and participation remain sparse.MethodsUsing quota sampling, a representative sample of 5,000 French adults completed an online cross-sectional survey between 8 and 17th January 2024. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were used to explore demographic and alcohol-related characteristics associated with awareness of the Dry January campaign as well as participation.ResultsAmong 4,075 past-year alcohol users, 2,468 (61%) were aware of the “Dry January” campaign, of whom 497 (20%) were participants (12% of all alcohol users). Extrapolated to the entire adult French population, this corresponds to an estimated 4.5 million people participating in the Dry January 2024. Awareness was comparable between genders and across age groups, but was greater among individuals with higher occupational status, and lower among those living in Eastern regions of France. Individuals aware of the campaign were more likely to self-evaluate their drinking as “at risk” and to report high-risk consumption. Participation rates did not differ by gender, occupational status, or region but decreased with age. Compared to non-participants, Dry January participants were more likely to self-identify their drinking as at-risk, to be concerned about health-related effects of alcohol, to be concerned about their control (or lack thereof) over drinking, and to report hazardous use or possible alcohol use disorder. However, no evidence was found for an association between high-risk consumption based on AUDIT-C and participation. Among participants, aiming for reduction (vs. abstinence) and official registration (vs. unofficial participation), were associated with worsened alcohol-related measures.ConclusionThis study indicates a stable level of awareness, but encouraging participation in Dry January in France. The results also confirm that temporary alcohol abstinence campaigns primarily attract high-risk drinkers and individuals reporting harmful consequences related to alcohol.

A preliminary study of disaster media use as a coping mechanism and the psychological impact of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster

ABSTRACT Background: The 2014 Sewol ferry disaster is the only South Korean mass casualty incident broadcasted in real time and the first instance of the nation collectively experiencing a disaster through social media. Compared to the large body of literature on disaster media as a stressor, its role as a coping tool remains underexplored. Objective: We explored the associations between coping styles in disaster media use and the psychological impact of the Sewol ferry disaster among the South Korean general public. Method: A paper-based survey of the nationwide general population (N = 876) evaluated disaster media use from the perspective of the approach-avoidance model of coping and assessed levels of posttraumatic distress and perceived growth. Participants were divided into three groups based on their coping orientation towards the media around the Sewol ferry disaster: approach-oriented (i.e. actively seeking out event-related news; n = 282; 32.2%), avoidance-oriented (i.e. intentionally avoiding event-related news; n = 69; 7.9%), and neutral (neither seeking nor avoiding event-related news; n = 474; 54.1%). The levels of posttraumatic distress and perceived growth were compared between these groups with ANCOVA controlling for age, sex, and/or the date of survey participation. Results: Approach-oriented disaster media use was associated with both elevated posttraumatic distress and perceived growth, while avoidance-oriented disaster media use was associated with elevated posttraumatic distress without significant perceived growth. The neutral group reported the lowest levels of both posttraumatic distress and perceived growth. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that not posttraumatic distress but perceived growth was the distinguishing factor between the two coping styles in disaster media use. This suggests the potential benefits of approach-oriented disaster media use, considering the salutogenic role of perceived growth in the recovery process. Future longitudinal research is required to determine the predictive role of disaster media use as coping.

Coping, perceived environmental exposure control and mental distress in persons with symptoms attributed to environmental factors in a general population survey

Coping, perceived environmental exposure control and mental distress in persons with symptoms attributed to environmental factors in a general population survey

Intimate partner violence, behaviours associated with risk of HIV acquisition and condom use in married women in Manicaland, East Zimbabwe: An HIV prevention cascade analysis

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread in the WHO African region with generalised HIV epidemics and may contribute to ongoing HIV transmission through its associations with behaviours associated with HIV acquisition risk and low use of prevention methods particularly in marital relationships.MethodsWe conducted a male condom HIV prevention cascade analysis using data from a general-population survey in Manicaland, Zimbabwe (July 2018-December 2019) to develop an understanding of how interventions that reduce IPV might be built upon to also reduce HIV incidence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure associations between currently-married HIV-negative women’s experience of IPV and: (1) being in the priority population for HIV prevention methods (i.e. married women engaging in behaviours associated with HIV acquisition risk or with a spouse who engages in similar behaviours or is living with HIV), and (2) male condom use by women in this priority population. Male condom HIV prevention cascades, with explanatory barriers for gaps between successive cascade bars (motivation, access and effective use), were compared for women in the priority population reporting and not reporting IPV.ResultsWe found a positive association between IPV and being in the priority population for HIV prevention methods (72.3% versus 58.5%; AOR = 2.26, 95% CI:1.74–2.93). Condom use was low (< 15%) for women in the priority population and did not differ between those reporting and not reporting IPV. The HIV prevention cascades for women reporting and not reporting IPV were similar; both showing large gaps in motivation and capacity to use male condoms effectively. Women reporting motivation and access to male condoms were more likely to report their partner being a barrier to condom use if they experienced IPV (84.8% versus 75.5%; AOR = 2.25, 95% CI:1.17–4.31).ConclusionThe findings of this study support the case for trials of integrated IPV/HIV prevention interventions that are tailored to improve HIV risk perception among HIV-negative married women and to make condom provision more acceptable for this group.

Benefits by Luck: A Study of Lotteries as a Selection Method for Government Programs

Lotteries could be a just and cost-effective procedure to distribute government benefits in contexts of oversubscription, with the added benefit of allowing assessments of the impact of government programs. However, little is known about whether there is public support for employing lotteries in this context. We examine support for a lottery that selects recipients of new government-built housing units in Brazil and find that neither lotteries participants nor the general public supports their use. We arrive at this result by employing a three-pronged multi-method approach. Quasi-experimental analysis of an original survey of lottery participants reveals that support not only is tepid, but substantially higher among winners than non-winners. In-depth interviews suggest that applicants believe lotteries miss the most deserving beneficiaries. A general population survey experiment reveals that lotteries are not perceived as just or efficient when compared to alternative beneficiary selection methods. While sometimes normatively desirable, the use of lotteries for government programs enjoys limited popular support.

Differences in Depressive Symptom Profile by Age Group in Koreans With Major Depressive Disorder: Results From Nationwide General Population Surveys.

This study investigated to what extent a range of depressive symptoms was differentially present depending on age group in Korean population. Data was pooled from five nationally representative surveys in which 29,418 respondents aged at least 18 years were interviewed face-to-face using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. A total of 691 (2.1%) respondents were found to have had at least 1 episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) within the last 12 months. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the association between age groups (18-39 years, 40-59 years, and 60 years or older) and 26 depressive symptoms among the respondents with MDD. Associations were observed between somatic symptoms-including insomnia, awakening 2 h earlier-and cognitive symptoms such as feelings of guilt, thoughts of death, and suicidal ideation with the older age group. Whereas, atypical depressive symptoms such as increased appetite, weight gain, and hypersomnia were associated with the younger age group. When adjusted for sociodemographic factors, symptoms such as depressed mood, awakening 2 h earlier, and feeling guilty in the older age group, and hypersomnia, psychomotor retardation, and worse in the morning in the younger age group still remained statistically significant. Furthermore, fatigue and decreased libido were newly associated with the younger age group. The findings of this study revealed distinct patterns of symptomatology in MDD based on age groups. These differences should be considered owing to their potential relevance to treatment response and prognosis in the clinical setting.

Appraising the HIV Prevention Cascade methodology to improve HIV prevention targets: Lessons learned from a general population pilot study in east Zimbabwe.

Multiple HIV Prevention Cascades (HPC) formulations have been proposed to assist advocacy, monitoring of progress of HIV prevention implementation and research to identify ways to increase use of HIV prevention methods. Schaefer and colleagues proposed a unifying formulation suitable for widespread use across different populations which could be used for routine monitoring or advocacy. Robust methods for defining and interpreting this HPC formulation using real world data is required. Data collected as part of the Manicaland Pilot HIV Prevention Cascades Study, east Zimbabwe, in 2018-19, was used to validate the HPC framework for PrEP, VMMC, male condom and combination prevention method use. Validation measures included feasibility of populating the HPC, contrasting simple vs complex measures of the HPC (using 2-sample proportion test), and testing ability of main bars to predict prevention use and testing whether sub-bars explained why people were lost from the HPC using logistic regression. It was possible to populate the HPC for both individual and combined prevention methods using pilot survey data. Most steps were associated with prevention method usage outcomes, except for VMMC. There were significant overlaps between individuals reporting positive responses for the main bar and those citing barriers to motivation. To refine the HPC's access bar definition, it is suggested to also consider individuals who report access barriers. While the HPC framework identifies barriers to individual prevention methods, challenges arise in identifying those for combined prevention. Our study successfully utilised questionnaires from the Manicaland HPC pilot survey to measure the HPC for individual and combined prevention methods. This demonstrates the feasibility of populating this framework using general population survey data and designated questionnaire modules. We propose a final formulation of the HPC, questionnaire modules and methods to create it. With proper evaluation and promotion, the HPC can enhance prevention services, aiding in the crucial reduction of HIV incidence.

Changes in self-reported cannabis use in the United States from 1979 to 2022.

Multiple countries are considering revising cannabis policies. This study aimed to measure long-term trends in cannabis use in the United States and compare them with alcohol use. Secondary analysis of United States general population survey data. The national surveys had a total of 1 641 041 participants across 27 surveys from 1979 to 2022. Rates of use reported to the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health and its predecessors are described, as are trends in days of use reported. Four milepost years are contrasted: 1979 (first available data and end of relatively liberal policies of the 1970s), 1992 (end of 12 years of conservative Reagan-Bush era policies), 2008 (last year before the Justice Department signaled explicit federal non-interference with state-level legalizations) and 2022 (most recent data available). Reported cannabis use declined to a nadir in 1992, with partial recovery through 2008, and substantial increases since then, particularly for measures of more intensive use. Between 2008 and 2022, the per capita rate of reporting past-year use increased by 120%, and days of use reported per capita increased by 218% (in absolute terms from the annual equivalent of 2.3 to 8.1 billion days per year). From 1992 to 2022, there was a 15-fold increase in the per capita rate of reporting daily or near daily use. Whereas the 1992 survey recorded 10 times as many daily or near daily alcohol as cannabis users (8.9 vs. 0.9 M), the 2022 survey, for the first time, recorded more daily and near daily users of cannabis than alcohol (17.7 vs. 14.7 M). Far more people drink, but high-frequency drinking is less common. In 2022, the median drinker reported drinking on 4-5days in the past month, versus 15-16 days in the past month for cannabis. In 2022, past-month cannabis consumers were almost four times as likely to report daily or near daily use (42.3% vs. 10.9%) and 7.4 times more likely to report daily use (28.2% vs. 3.8%). Long-term trends in cannabis use in the United States parallel corresponding changes in cannabis policy, with declines during periods of greater restriction and growth during periods of policy liberalization. A growing share of cannabis consumers report daily or near daily use, and their numbers now exceed the number of daily and near daily drinkers.

Carbon dioxide removal through ecosystem restoration: Public perceptions and political participation

We compare public perceptions of restoring different ecosystems to increase CO2 uptake in Germany, through focus groups and a general population survey. Among focus group participants forests were highly popular, peatlands evoked negative associations, and seagrass was largely unknown. Nevertheless, the restoration of all ecosystems was viewed positively. We contrast these reactions to those of survey respondents who had not received additional information on restoration. They voiced narrower, less diverse opinions centering around afforestation. Further, focus group participants preferred expert-led restoration decisions, citing low trust in politicians’ technical competence. Contrary to common policy recommendations, also beyond the German context, participants did not emphasize the need of citizen participation and were not strongly concerned about land use conflicts or compensation of affected user groups. The results imply that the public underestimates the political complexity of negotiation processes in ecosystem governance, which are becoming increasingly relevant in the international policy landscape.

Executive functions and addictions: a Structural Equation Modeling Approach and the Italian validation of the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI)

Introduction the work aims to observe the associations between psychoactive substance use and gambling and executive functioning as well as to validate the Italian version of the “Adult Executive Functioning Inventory” (ADEXI) scale. Methods data were collected through a representative cross-sectional study among 5,160 people (18-84 years old) called IPSAD® (Italian Population Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to explore the associations between ADEXI and other behaviors measured with standardized questionnaires. Cronbach α has been performed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ADEXI scale. Results SEM showed that both WM and INH were correlated with problematic cannabis use (WM r = 0.112; INH r = 0.251) and gambling (WM r = 0.101; INH r = 0.168), while problematic alcohol use was correlated only with INH (r = 0.233). Cronbach α for the WM subscale was 0.833 (CI 0.826-0.840), while for INH was 0.694 (CI 0.680-0.708). Conclusion results pointed out a strong correlation between addictions (substance-related and non-substance-related) and WM and INH impairments among the adult general population. Moreover, the ADEXI scale could be considered a valuable tool for general population surveys to detect working memory and inhibition characteristics.

Testing four cognition bolt-on items to the EQ-5D in a general Chinese population.

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of four candidate cognition bolt-on items and their combinations to the EQ-5D-5L. Four cognition items (concentration, memory, calculation, and learning) were developed as separate questionnaire items, and were administered with the standard EQ-5D-5L to 640 individuals in a general population survey in China. From the 4 items, 11 compound items were constructed, and the 'worse level counts' rule was used to calculate a compound item score. Psychometric performance of the cognition bolt-ons was assessed in terms of informativity, convergent validity, explanatory power, and discriminatory power. The tested four cognition bolt-on items improved the informativity, convergent validity, explanatory power, and discriminatory power of EQ-5D-5L, with calculation and learning yielding better psychometric performance. The compound bolt-on items that coverd a range of cognitive functions demonstrated superior psychometric performance compared to single-aspect bolt-on items, with those items covering calculation and learning resulting in better psychometric performance. This study confirmed the validity of the tested cognition bolt-ons in a general Chinese population. It supported the use of a compound bolt-on item covering a range of cognitive functions such as the ability to calculate and learn.

Ethnic disparities in mental health problems in New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

Indigenous people experience poorer mental health compared to the general population. Socioeconomic gaps partly explain these disparities. However, there is variability between populations and French overseas territories are understudied. This study examines the prevalence of mental health problems among Indigenous people in New Caledonia and French Polynesia, describing and comparing it with that of their counterparts while considering associated factors. We used the data from the cross-sectional Mental Health in the General Population survey in the only 3 sites for which information on indigenous status was available: Noumea (2006) and the 'Bush' (2008) in New Caledonia, and French Polynesia (2015-2017). Current mental health issues were screened using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. In multivariable analyses, we considered the following factors: gender, age, education level, marital status, occupational activity and monthly income. Overall, 2294 participants were analysed. Among the 1379 indigenous participants, 52.3% had at least one mental health issue. The prevalence of depressive disorder (18.0% vs 11.7%), alcohol use disorder (16.7% vs 11.7%) and suicide risk (22.3% vs 16.7%) were higher among indigenous participants compared to non-indigenous participants. After adjustment, the association between indigenous status and these mental health issues did not persist, except for alcohol use disorder. We found higher prevalence of depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder and suicide risk among indigenous people of French Polynesia and New Caledonia compared to their counterparts. These differences seemed largely explained by socioeconomic disparities. Future studies could explore the use of and access to healthcare by indigenous populations.

Minimally Invasive Injectable Cosmetic Procedures Increase Feelings of Authenticity.

Minimally invasive cosmetic dermatology procedures continue to be increasingly popular; however, the extant literature has poorly documented the psychological antecedents of interest in cosmetic procedures and their psychological consequences. To better inform dermatologists on their patients' motivations for cosmetic enhancement. In a general population survey, an online representative sample of 984 Americans reported the extent to which they feel authentic using the validated authenticity scale and whether they were interested in undergoing a cosmetic procedure. In a prospective dermatology office survey, 102 participants reported their feelings of authenticity immediately before and 2 weeks after receiving a minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure. In the general population survey, participants interested in cosmetic procedures felt significantly less authentic than participants who were not interested (p = .003). In the prospective dermatology office survey, participants felt significantly more authentic 2 weeks after their minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure than before (p = .018). Lower feelings of authenticity are associated with interest in cosmetic procedures. Participants felt more authentic 2 weeks after receiving a minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure. Cosmetic procedures may present patients with an opportunity to feel more like their real, genuine selves.

Effect of branching middle responses in dichotomous scales on web surveys

Previous research shows that in telephone surveys, 11–49% of respondents select a middle alternative when it is offered on dichotomous bipolar questions, although they do not volunteer a middle option when it is not mentioned. Furthermore, offering a middle option leads to different systematic response effects, including social desirability bias and satisficing effects, which are related to respondent characteristics. Research has shown that in telephone surveys, a question form with a branching middle response has a lower response validity compared to that of a non-branching middle response. However, compared to the non-branching form, the branching form could potentially motivate respondents to spend more time and effort in their responses in the absence of an interviewer. Therefore, validity and reliability differences between branching-question form responses and non-branching-question form responses in general population web surveys have become an area of interest for research. Using a randomized experiment, this study tests the impact of a branching middle alternative in a general population survey on the validity and reliability of responses. The branching middle alternative did not change the validity and reliability of responses, and compared to the alternative, it reduced satisficing behavior based on the proxies.

University students’ accounts of police use of force: implications for trust in the police

ABSTRACT This empirical research explores the effect of police use of excessive force on university students’ trust in the police. Although the use of force by the police has continued to resonate in academic discourse, particularly from developed Western societies, the challenge is that there is a dearth of empirical research that precisely measures police use of excessive force among university students and how it shapes their trust in the police. The few existing studies were drawn from the general population survey, and they showed that the police in most African transitional societies tend to misuse their powers and are typically unaccountable to the public. From a survey data of participants delineated to a large public university in South Africa, this study specifically assessed the effect of direct experience of police abuse, vicarious experience of police abuse, experience of police corruption, and predatory policing on university students’ trust in the police. Findings confirmed, among others, that police use of excessive force (direct and vicarious experience of police abuse and predatory policing) significantly negatively affects students’ trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS). The implications of the findings for effective policing in the country are discussed.

(Mis-)Perceptions, information, and political polarization: A survey and a systematic literature review

Numerous studies have documented that misperceptions about society, e.g. related to inequality, are widespread among voters. Simultaneously, a separate body of literature demonstrates increasing political polarization. Against this background, it is intuitively appealing to hypothesize that information provision can be useful not only to correct misperceptions, but also to create a common ground that can bridge divisiveness. In a general population survey, conducted in the United States, we show that beliefs in the power of information to reduce polarization are indeed widespread. To investigate the empirical relationship between information provision and polarization, we conduct a systematic literature review. We focus on papers that study the effect of information treatments on redistributive policy preferences, exploiting the fact that they often investigate heterogeneities in the reaction to information treatment. Our review shows that while it is certainly possible for information to decrease polarization, the effect is frequently the opposite. The reason is that different groups react differently to truthful and accurate information, in ways that often reinforce existing preference.

Old Before Their Time? The Impact of Osteoarthritis on Younger Adults.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is frequently perceived as a disease of the elderly and an inevitable result of aging. Because OA studies often are restricted to older adults, there is limited information on OA in younger adults. This study describes the burden of OA across a wide age range and compares younger and older adults. Descriptive analysis of the Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada - Arthritis Component, a nationally representative survey of Canadians ≥20 years who reported an arthritis diagnosis in the Canadian Community Health Survey, a general health population survey. Analyses were restricted to those reporting OA and no other kind of arthritis (n = 1,749). In the representative group with OA, 55.4% were younger than 65 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 50 years, with 30.4% reporting being diagnosed before age 45 years. Younger adults reported similar symptom severity as their older counterparts with OA regarding the mean number of affected joint sites, severity of pain and fatigue, and activity limitations. In the youngest age group, those with OA were significantly more likely to report fair or poor overall and mental health and life dissatisfaction compared with their general counterparts; the same was not the case in the oldest age group. OA is not uncommon among younger and middle-aged adults, and they experience OA impacts comparable with those for older adults. These findings suggest that younger adults with OA will live many years with symptoms and disability and highlight a need for effective OA management across ages.

Prevalence, risks factors, and control of hypertension in Guinean older adults in 2021: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe incidence of arterial hypertension increases with the aging of the population, but its magnitude remains insufficiently assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in elderly people in Guinea.MethodsData were obtained from a cross-sectional general population survey, conducted among people aged ≥ 60 years. A stratified enumeration area random sample survey was conducted in the four natural regions of Guinea from February to April 2021. This study included an interview on sociodemographic data, and a clinical examination. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90mmHg or previous diagnosis of hypertension (with or without antihypertensive medication). Hypertension control was defined as blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg during treatment. Age-standardized prevalence was calculated, and logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with hypertension.ResultsA total of 1698 adults (1079 men, mean age: 71.6 ± 9.4 years) had at least two blood pressure measurements. The standardized prevalence of hypertension was 61.4% [95% CI: 61.3–61.6], ranging from 52% in Middle Guinea to 67% in Upper Guinea, and was higher in women (65.2%: 65.0-65.4) than in men (59.1%:58.9–59.3). Among those with hypertension, 46.7% were unaware of their condition before the survey and 49.6% were on treatment and only 18.5% had controlled hypertension. Whatever the residence (rural or urban), increasing age, being unmarried, working as a trader or functionary, jobless, living in upper Guinea, low monthly income, intake of extra salt, known diabetic, overweight, and obesity increased the risk of hypertension. In urban area, female sex (AOR: 1.14: 1.12–1.17), living in lower Guinea (AOR: 3.08: 2.97–3.20), being Maninka (AOR: 1.26: 1.21–1.31), being Nguerze (AOR: 1.71: 1.63–1.81) increased the risk of hypertension, but living in forest Guinea (AOR: 0.88: 0.83–0.93), being Soussou (AOR: 0.88: 0.85–0.92) decreased the risk. In rural area, living in forest Guinea (AOR: 2.14: 2.03–2.26), being Soussou (AOR: 1.14: 1.12–1.17) increased the risk of hypertension, but female sex (AOR: 0.96: 0.94–0.98), living in lower Guinea (AOR: 0.87: 0.85–0.89), being Maninka (AOR: 0.94: 0.92–0.97), being Nguerze (AOR: 0.50: 0.47–0.52) decreased the risk.ConclusionHypertension is a major problem in the elderly population in Guinea, and the level of treatment and control in elderly with known hypertension is inadequate. The place of hypertension among cardiovascular diseases and the identification of associated factors underlines the need to develop innovative approaches to control this major risk factor.

Estimating the Prevalence of Using Suspected Counterfeit Medications in the General Population.

Counterfeit medications, sometimes referred to as "fake" or falsified drugs or pills, are drugs that are illicitly manufactured but designed to look like legitimate pharmaceuticals. Counterfeit medications are a growing public health concern. This study estimated the prevalence of self-reported use of suspected counterfeit medications by adults in the US and to assess what ingredients these individuals suspected were in the counterfeit medications. This general population survey, drawn from an online panel, was administered across 2 waves in 2022 (15 April 3 June and 9 September 21 October) to 59,041 adults aged 18 and older. Statistical calibration weighting was used to calculate estimates representative of the national adult population. An estimated 1.8% (95% CI 1.7%-1.9%) of respondents, corresponding to approximately 4.6 million adults, suspected past 12-month use of counterfeit medications. Fentanyl was the most commonly suspected ingredient in the counterfeit product (16.1%, 95% CI 12.8%-19.3%). The next most prevalent response was "I don't know" (15.0%, 95% CI 11.0%-18.9%) followed by methamphetamine (14.9%, 95% CI 11.4%-18.4%). These data show the scale of the issue in relation to other well established drug use data points in the US. System-level methods, such as drug scanning software, should be implemented to reduce the likelihood that counterfeit drugs end up in the hands of individuals.

Impact of cancer screening results on patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and behavioral intentions.

10608 Background: Cancer is one of the most feared diseases. Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests have the potential to expand the number of cancers that are detected at earlier stages, which could result in better clinical outcomes. However, behavioral impacts based on MCED test results could affect the utility and value of these tests. Methods: Two independent data sources evaluated the impact of MCED test results on behavioral intentions and perceptions: a survey of the general population and PRO in an MCED clinical trial. A web-based, 30-minute survey of the US general population was used to ascertain attitudes toward a hypothetical MCED test. Eligible respondents were adults aged 40-80 years without a cancer diagnosis in the previous 5 years. The survey assessed the perceived value of negative results (ie, no cancer signal detected [NCSD]) and the projected impact on post-test behaviors. The prospective PATHFINDER study (NCT04241796) of adults aged ≥50 years who underwent MCED cancer screening included PRO assessments. Post-test assessments included: "I am feeling relieved about my test result" from the adapted MICRA and “How likely are you to follow your healthcare provider’s cancer screening recommendations.” The consistency of sentiment after an NCSD MCED result from the online survey and clinical study was assessed. Results: Of the 1073 online survey respondents, 53% were female, 77% White, 14% Black/African American, and 13% Hispanic. Mean age was 58 years. The most common anticipated emotional impacts were relief (84%), happiness (72%), and confidence (69%). Respondents (66-70%) reported they would expect less worry, fear, stress, and anxiety after an NCSD MCED result. The majority (73%) reported they would maintain or improve health behaviors after an NCSD result. NCSD results were projected to lead to an increase in health-related behaviors, including adherence to recommended cancer screening (98%; 68% increase, 30% maintain current level) and regular doctor visits (46%). Of the 6529 PATHFINDER study participants who received NCSD results, 64% were female, 92% White. Mean age was 63 years. 80% of participants (n = 4685/5865) with NCSD felt relief "sometimes" or "often" after their MCED test result. Over 95% of participants (n = 5637/5863) with NCSD indicated they were "likely" or "very likely" to adhere to cancer screening recommendations in the future. Conclusions: Results from a general population survey and a prospective clinical study indicate that an NCSD result may be associated with positive cancer screening intentions and other preventive healthcare behaviors. An NCSD result may also positively impact psychological and emotional health. While these findings suggest that an NCSD result may provide additional value beyond traditional clinical benefits associated with cancer screening, future research is needed to delineate the behavioral impact following MCED screening. Clinical trial information: NCT04241796 .