Risk Reduction

Anything that may increase the chance of getting cancer is a risk factor. Some risk factors like age, sex and heredity can’t be controlled. However, there are many things you can do to protect yourself from getting cancer in the first place. If you keep a healthy weight, don’t use tobacco, limit the amount of alcohol you drink and protect your skin from the sun, you are less likely to get certain types of cancer.

To better understand your cancer risk, steps to reduce your risk, and tools to manage your risk, visit this website.

For more detailed information on what you can do to protect yourself against cancer, click here.

Personal motivation to adopt healthy behaviors is only part of the story. Behavior change is more likely when policy and environmental changes improve the conditions in which people live, work, learn and play. These also can be powerful tools to help people improve their health behaviors.

Reducing risk at the environmental level requires participation from key public and private institutions working in partnership with communities. For example, businesses, government, schools, health care and community service groups have a major influence on community environments. No single strategy, program or policy is the answer. Multiple changes and a coordinated effort are needed to shift community norms toward healthier behaviors.

Click here to learn about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Communities Program.

Click here to review Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health, a publication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.