Abstract
Objective: The present study was undertaken to examine the relationship between a family history of colorectal cancer （CRC） and perceived susceptibility to CRC.
Methods: The study involved 426 subjects who participated in a community-based CRC screening program in Nagano prefecture in 2003. The questionnaire included perceived susceptibility to CRC, the family history of CRC, self-rated health, health consciousness, past history of CRC screening, health behaviors, knowledge about CRC risk factors, a-trait anxiety scale and socio-demographic characteristics.
Results: Among the 387 individuals analyzed, 56 participants（14.5 ％）reported a positive family history of CRC in at least one first-degree relative（FDR+）. FDR+ individuals reported greater perceived susceptibility （8.2 ± 2.6）of developing CRC than those without family history（6.3 ± 2.7）（p ＜ 0.001）. However, 18.5 ％ of FDR+ individuals did not view themselves at an elevated risk. In multiple regression models, family history of CRC was still a significant correlate of the perceived susceptibility to CRC（β＝ 0.222, p ＜ 0.001）.
Conclusions: These results provide evidence that family history of CRC is an independent predictor of perceived susceptibility. Educational interventions should promote understanding of CRC risk factors, so that individuals with a family history of CRC will be better able to adhere to CRC screening recommendations.
