The Role of Online Support, Caregiving, and Gender in Preventative Cancer Genetic Testing Participation: Cross-Sectional Study From a National Study

Cancer remains a significant health challenge in the United States, with 1.8 million new cases and 606,520 deaths annually. Early detection is vital for treatment success. This study investigates factors influencing the decision to undergo genetic testing for cancer. The examination of caregiver status and online support groups as influencing factors, along with the HBM, provided a significant theoretical contribution to the health care research domain. Results indicated that caregivers and men should be directly targeted with messaging on genetic cancer screening as a proactive health behavior. Additionally, online support groups can promote early detection and encourage participation in genetic testing. Future research should further explore implementing proactive outreach strategies to encourage wider adoption of genetic testing for cancer.