(P28-029-23) Perceptions of Preventable Cancer Burden in Tactical Populations: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: Mounting evidence points to the role of lifestyle and diet in minimizing cancer risk secondary to occupational exposure among tactical groups. Perceptions of this role and preferred means of addressing it are not well understood. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize current experiences with cancer and perceptions of the preventable cancer burden attributable to diet among tactical groups.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used snowball sampling to recruit members of tactical groups (i.e., firefighters, law enforcement, and military personnel). Participants completed an online survey to evaluate cancer history and perceptions of cancer risk secondary to lifestyle, including the following open-ended question: “If you were to change your diet to lower your risk of cancer, what would you need to help you do this? Provide as much information as you’d like.” Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative responses were coded deductively using the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy v1 (BCTTv1).

Results: Most respondents were firefighters (94.6%, n = 471); 15.3% (n = 76) reported a history of cancer. Most without cancer strongly agreed they are at risk for cancer and agreed diet would decrease that risk (50.7%, n = 214; 44.8%, n = 189, respectively). This trend was less pronounced in those with a history of cancer: 44.7% (n = 34) agreed they were at risk for developing cancer again and 39.5% (n = 30) neither agreed nor disagreed diet would lower that risk. Neither respondent group reported receiving recommendations from a healthcare provider regarding diet and cancer risk (86.8% and 89.5%, respectively). The preponderance of qualitative data indicated a desire for high-quality information regarding the relationship between diet and cancer. As such, the most common BCTTv1 codes were: “Instruction on how to perform a behavior,” “pros and cons,” “salience of consequences,” and “information about health consequences.”

Conclusions: Respondents indicated awareness of cancer risk yet some ambivalence towards the use of diet to lower that risk. There is marked opportunity to resolve ambivalence through communication and interventions focused on diet and lifestyle as a means of cancer prevention.

Funding Sources: Start-up support provided by the Vice President for Research.