Effects of Risk Presentation Format and Frequently Asked Questions on Breast Cancer Risk Skepticism

August 26, 2026 updated by: University of Colorado, Denver
The purpose of this study is to find out whether the way a breast cancer risk estimate is presented affects how women feel about their risk and whether they believe the estimate is accurate for them. Women aged 39-74 will complete an online survey in which they receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate using the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT). The study includes two experiments. In the first experiment, women are randomly assigned to receive their estimate in different formats: some will see their risk over 5 years, 10 years, or a lifetime, and some will see their risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women. In the second experiment, women receive their estimate and then have the opportunity to read answers to frequently asked questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated and what the estimate means. In both experiments, women are asked whether they believe the estimate reflects their true risk. Both experiments are conducted online through a national survey panel.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

3000

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
        • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Laura D Scherer, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Female sex
  2. Age 39-74 (i.e., people who are eligible for routine breast cancer screening and for whom guidelines recommend an informed, risk-based decision)
  3. English literacy

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Prior diagnosis of

  1. breast cancer
  2. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
  3. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
  4. Known BRCA1/2 gene mutation
  5. Cowan syndrome
  6. Li-Fraumeni syndrome
  7. Having received previous chest radiation for treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 5 Year Risk AND N-in-100 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.
Experimental: 10 Year Risk AND N-in-100 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.
Experimental: Lifetime Risk AND N-in-100 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.
Experimental: 5 Year Risk AND N-in-1000 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.
Experimental: 10 Year Risk AND N-in-1000 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.
Experimental: Lifetime Risk AND N-in-1000 Presentation
Behavioral: Risk Presentation Format
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model. The format of the estimate varies by random assignment across two dimensions: temporal framing (5-year, 10-year, or lifetime risk) and denominator (risk expressed out of 100 women or out of 1,000 women). All other elements of the risk presentation are held constant across conditions.
Behavioral: Frequently Asked Questions Exposure
Participants receive a personalized breast cancer risk estimate generated by the Gail Model and then view an interactive FAQ document. The FAQ document was developed from qualitative interviews with women who had previously rejected their risk estimates and addresses common questions about how breast cancer risk is calculated, what factors the model does and does not include, what different risk levels mean, and how to discuss results with a physician. FAQ items are displayed as expandable questions; participants click to reveal answers. All participants receive the same FAQ document.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Risk Skepticism
Time Frame: Day 1
Participants' perception of their Gail model risk estimate is trichotomized into three categories: Underestimator (believed risk is lower than estimate), Agreer (believed risk equals estimate), and Overestimator (believed risk is higher than estimate).
Day 1
Risk Perception
Time Frame: Day 1
This measure includes two Likert scale questions assessing the perceived likelihood of developing cancer and the level of worry about getting cancer.
Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Laura D Scherer, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

February 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 26-1163
  • R01CA279953 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The protocol, code books, and data set associated with this study will be shared on the Open Science Framework after ensuring that it is completely anonymized.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

IPD and supporting information will be made available when the first manuscript is submitted to a journal for review.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Anyone will be able to access the IPD and supporting information by downloading it from OSF.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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