Understanding Cancer Worry in Young Adults: Health Anxiety, Smoking Attitudes, and Familial Risk
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to investigate cancer-related worry among university students in relation to their smoking behavior and family history of cancer. The sample consisted of 283 university students aged between 18 and 25. Data were collected using the Cancer Worry Scale, Smoking Addiction Attitude Scale, Health Anxiety Inventory - Short Form, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Normality tests, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were conducted via SPSS for statistical analyses. The results indicated that smoking status was not significantly associated with cancer worry or health anxiety. In contrast, participants with a family history of cancer reported higher levels of both cancer worry and health anxiety compared to those without such a history. Female participants reported significantly higher cancer worry and health anxiety than their male counterparts. This study contributes to the cancer worry literature by examining gender, smoking behavior, and familial cancer history together within a non-Western emerging adult population. The findings offer insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying cancer risk perception among young adults.
Keywords
- Cancer Worry
- Health Anxiety
- Smoking Behavior
- Nicotine Dependence
- University Students
- Family History of Cancer
Ethical Statement
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Applied and Developmental Psychology (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Early Pub Date
October 5, 2026
Publication Date
-
Submission Date
May 10, 2026
Acceptance Date
July 3, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication
