Predictors of genetic risk recall among the participants of a randomized controlled precision prevention trial against melanoma

Purpose: Inherited variation in MC1R imparts low to moderate risk of melanoma. Research on genetic risk recall, factors predicting recall, and whether recall influences adoption of preventive behaviors is limited.

Methods: Participants (n = 447) enrolled in a melanoma precision prevention trial were provided with MC1R risk information (average or higher) and after 6 and 12 months, were asked to recall their genetic risk. Predictors of recall were identified using backward stepwise selection. Intervention effects were reassessed after stratifying by recall.

Results: Participants at higher risk were 2 to 3 times more likely to misremember or not recall than participants with average risk. Misremembering was almost exclusively observed among participants at higher risk. Among the participants with average risk, lower health numeracy and not completing the telephone follow-up were associated with not recalling or misremembering. Among the participants at higher risk, lower education was associated with not recalling and lower perceived comparative chance of developing melanoma was associated with misremembering. In general, participants at higher risk who correctly recalled had modestly stronger intervention effects on sun protection behaviors than those who misremembered or did not recall.

Conclusion: Future studies should examine different strategies to increase genetic risk recall, which may result in improved behavioral outcomes, especially among participants with lower education and health numeracy.