The psychosocial and demographical risk factors of cancer (Tehran 2011)

Background: Consideration of risk factors of Cancer and their clinical consequences is important. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive role of psychosocial and demographical risk factors for odds ratio of suffering by of cancer.

Methods: In a Case- Control study, 335 included 163 patients with cancers (solid tumors) of those patients that attended to Cancer Institute Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for chemotherapy and 172 healthy persons of staffs in Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected by convenience sampling. Demographical questionnaire and Irrational Health Belief Scale (IHBS), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC), and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II) used for collected data.  Then, data analyzed by Chi Square, T test and Logistic Regression with PASW.

Results: Inappropriate socio-economic Status (OR=4/856; %CI:1/907-6/562), age (OR=6/823; %CI:1/826-8/286), familial cancer history (OR=7/996; %CI:1/830-10/283), existence of irrational health belief (OR=3/589; %CI:1/048-4/131), health locus of control (OR=4/386; %CI:1/833-6/924) and life style (OR=5/738; %CI:1/714-7/463) significantly differentiated patients with cancer from healthy persons (P<0/001). Sex factor do not significantly able to differentiate two groups (P>0/05).

Conclusion: In this model, psychosocial and demographical risk factors except to gender increase the odds ratio of suffering by cancer. These variables all together may explain greater variation in probability of cancer. These results have applied implications in preventive intervention programming for cancer and related complications.