Isaac Lipkus
Biographic Data
| ID | 243972 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Isaac Lipkus |
| GIVEN NAMES | Isaac |
| FAMILY NAME | Lipkus |
| SIGNATURE | LIPKUS I |
| AFFILIATIONS | Duke University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9579-1383 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 198 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1991 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Believing in Justice for Self and Others
Believing in justice can enhance health, especially if one believes the world is personally fair (justice beliefs for self). However, health benefits conferred by believing in justice may be nuanced for racial minorities, whose lived experiences may also reinforce links from health outcomes to beliefs about justice more generally (justice beliefs for others). Across two studies, we consider how the belief in a just world for self and others are r…
More Just for Me than Which Others? Personal Justice Ascendancy, Perceived Discrimination in Healthcare, and Personal Well-Being in African Americans
Feasibility of dyadic peer support to augment a church-based healthy lifestyle programme
Objective: African Americans in the USA experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease. Healthy lifestyle promotion programmes can help decrease this disease risk. This study determined the feasibility of using dyadic peer support to augment an existing healthy lifestyle programme in African American churches. Design: A prospective pre-post design was used with 80 participants from three churches in the southeastern USA over an 18-week p…
Dyadic Peer Support to Improve Diet and Physical Activity Among African American Church Members
You won’t regret it (or love it) as much as you think
When predicting the future, people tend to overestimate the intensity of their emotions, a phenomenon known as the impact bias. Design: In two studies, we examined the impact bias for health outcomes. In Study 1, participants were randomized to think about a negative health outcome in the future or one in the past. In Study 2, participants came to the laboratory and were asked to predict and report their emotions surrounding an actual health outc…
Tailored Mobile Messaging Intervention for Waterpipe Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults
Objectives. To test a tailored mobile health (i.e., mHealth) intervention for waterpipe tobacco cessation in young adults. Methods. From 2018 to 2020 at 2 US sites, we conducted a randomized trial with 349 waterpipe tobacco smokers aged 18 to 30 years randomized to control (no intervention), untailored, or tailored intervention arms. Intervention arms received a 6-week mHealth intervention conveying risks of waterpipe tobacco through text and ima…
Assessing multiple features of partner support for smoking cessation in dual-smoker couples
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new scale to measure multiple aspects of partner support for quitting smoking relevant to dual-smoker couples, called the Partner Support for Quitting Scale. The best model fit ( N = 238 individuals in 119 couples) considers the frequency of, confidence in, and perceived usefulness of partner support behaviors. Path analysis revealed that the Partner Support for Quitting Scale factors were uniquely pred…
Perceived Harms of Waterpipe Tobacco Heating Sources Among Young Adult Waterpipe Tobacco Smokers
Background. Waterpipe tobacco smoking is associated with many negative health outcomes due to toxicants produced by heating the tobacco using charcoal or electrical heaters. Little is known about how young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers perceive harms of these heating sources. Aims. To examine young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers’ perceived harms of electrical heaters and charcoal to heat waterpipe tobacco. Method. This online cross-sectional s…
Developing a scale to assess health regulatory focus
Association between felt ambivalence and the desire to quit waterpipe use among college students
College waterpipe tobacco smokers who feel more ambivalence, that is, conflicted about its use, may have a stronger desire to quit. Using baseline survey data of 315 college waterpipe smokers, we examined this relationship. While frequency of feeling ambivalence was low, greater ambivalence was related with desire to quit ( r = .46, p < .001). This relationship remained significant after accounting for several correlates of desire to quit (e.g. p…
Lessons Learned From an Online Study with Dual-smoker Couples
Online data collection via surveys should use safeguards to capture valid data. Many safeguards exist, which researchers should consider when designing online survey projects
Willingness to provide support for a quit attempt
Support from close others predicts smoking abstinence, yet little research has investigated what factors promote support. This study investigates predictors of support for a quit attempt. Partners of smokers ( N = 131) reported their relationship quality, concern for partner's health, own smoking status, and intended support for a quit attempt. Smokers were less supportive than were nonsmokers. Relationship quality, concern for partners' health, …
Relationships among factual and perceived knowledge of harms of waterpipe tobacco, perceived risk, and desire to quit among college users
Waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing in the United States among college students. Through a web-based survey, we explored associations among factual and perceived knowledge, perceived risks and worry about harm and addiction, and desire to quit among 316 college waterpipe tobacco smoking users. Overall, factual knowledge of the harm of waterpipe tobacco smoking was poor, factual and perceived knowledge was weakly correlated, both forms of know…
Motivations for genetic testing for lung cancer risk among young smokers
In addition to learning about health risks, young people may be motivated to seek genetic testing for reasons, such as gaining knowledge about new genetic technologies more broadly
Young smokers’ views of genetic susceptibility testing for lung cancer risk
It’s the Amount of Thought that Counts
College Smokers' Estimates of Their Probabilities of Remaining a Smoker in the Near Future
Community college and university smokers (N = 662) estimated their probability (0% to 100%) of remaining a smoker one and six months later and reported their confidence in their estimates. Smoking status was assessed at each time point. Analyses controlled for several correlates of both smoking status and probability estimates of remaining a smoker. Estimates of smoking status interacted with confidence to predict smoking status at one month, but…
Cancer Survivors' Health Worries and Associations with Lifestyle Practices
This study examined among recently diagnosed breast and prostate cancer survivors ( N = 678) associations between worry about a future diagnosis of heart disease or cancer and hypothetical and actual adherence to exercise and dietary guidelines. Greater worry about future illness was reported under the hypothetical scenario of nonadherence to guidelines relative to the scenario of adherence. Worry about potential heart disease was associated with…
Numeric, Verbal, and Visual Formats of Conveying Health Risks
Perception of health risk can affect medical decisions and health behavior change. Yet the concept of risk is a difficult one for the public to grasp. Whether perceptions of risk affect decisions and behaviors often relies on how messages of risk magnitudes (i.e., likelihood) are conveyed. Based on expert opinion, this article offers, when possible, best practices for conveying magnitude of health risks using numeric, verbal, and visual formats. …
The Functions of Affect in Health Communications and in the Construction of Health Preferences
We examine potential roles of 4 functions of affect in health communication and the construction of health preferences. The roles of these 4 functions (affect as information, as a spotlight, as a motivator, and as common currency) are illustrated in the area of cancer screening and treatment decision making. We demonstrate that experienced affect influences information processes, judgments, and decisions. We relate the functions to a self-regulat…
Breast cancer risk perceptions and breast cancer worry
This longitudinal study explored the relationship between perceived breast cancer risk and worry. We measured both absolute and comparative risk perceptions, and also used the Gail algorithm to assess the accuracy of participants' risk perceptions. Three hundred and one women ages 40–75 participated in a two‐part study assessing how format of breast cancer risk presentation affected perceptions of risk. Relative to their Gail scores, women were b…
A Tailored Intervention to Aid Decisionmaking About Hormone Replacement Therapy
Decision aids related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), whether delivered in written form,1,2 along with audiotapes,3 or as part of discussion groups,4 have outperformed generic brochures in increasing knowledge and accuracy of risk assessments. However, these decision aids have provided women with population-based estimates of average risk, not individual risk levels that may have bearing on their decisions about HRT. Decision aids individua…
Depressive Realism and Health Risk Accuracy
We examine the role of level of depression on updating of health-related risk estimates. Participants provided their risk of getting breast cancer before (baseline) and after (follow-up) receiving personalized (experiment 1) or standard (experiment 2) medical risk feedback. Although there were no significant differences in risk estimates at baseline, the follow-up risk estimates indicate that compared to nondepressives, depressives lowered their …
General Performance on a Numeracy Scale among Highly Educated Samples
Background. Numeracy, how facile people are with basic probability and mathematical concepts, is associated with how people perceive health risks. Performance on simple numeracy problems has been poor among populations with little as well as more formal education. Here, we examine how highly educated participants performed on a general and an expanded numeracy scale. The latter was designed within the context of health risks. Method. A total of 4…
Reactions to Individuals Who Are Consistently Positive or Negative
This experiment exposed subjects to one of two interaction goals, and examined their attraction to interaction partners who differed in valence and variability. Specifically, subjects evaluated the desirability of potential interaction partners who were positive vs. negative in their evaluations of people and objects, and who exhibited high versus low variability in their evaluations. In addition, the subject's interaction goal was manipulated: H…
Accommodation processes in close relationships
A theory of accommodation processes is advanced, and the results of 6 studies are reported. Accommodation refers to the willingness, when a partner has engaged in a potentially destructive act, to inhibit impulses to react destructively and instead react constructively. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that accommodation is lower under conditions of reduced social concern and lower interdependence. Studies 3,4, and 5 revealed that accommodation is as…
Depressive Realism and Health Risk Accuracy
We examine the role of level of depression on updating of health-related risk estimates. Participants provided their risk of getting breast cancer before (baseline) and after (follow-up) receiving personalized (experiment 1) or standard (experiment 2) medical risk feedback. Although there were no significant differences in risk estimates at baseline, the follow-up risk estimates indicate that compared to nondepressives, depressives lowered their …
Developing a scale to assess health regulatory focus
What Do We Really Want
Willingness to provide support for a quit attempt
Support from close others predicts smoking abstinence, yet little research has investigated what factors promote support. This study investigates predictors of support for a quit attempt. Partners of smokers ( N = 131) reported their relationship quality, concern for partner's health, own smoking status, and intended support for a quit attempt. Smokers were less supportive than were nonsmokers. Relationship quality, concern for partners' health, …
Breast cancer risk perceptions and breast cancer worry
This longitudinal study explored the relationship between perceived breast cancer risk and worry. We measured both absolute and comparative risk perceptions, and also used the Gail algorithm to assess the accuracy of participants' risk perceptions. Three hundred and one women ages 40–75 participated in a two‐part study assessing how format of breast cancer risk presentation affected perceptions of risk. Relative to their Gail scores, women were b…
Relationships among factual and perceived knowledge of harms of waterpipe tobacco, perceived risk, and desire to quit among college users
Waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing in the United States among college students. Through a web-based survey, we explored associations among factual and perceived knowledge, perceived risks and worry about harm and addiction, and desire to quit among 316 college waterpipe tobacco smoking users. Overall, factual knowledge of the harm of waterpipe tobacco smoking was poor, factual and perceived knowledge was weakly correlated, both forms of know…
Cancer Survivors' Health Worries and Associations with Lifestyle Practices
This study examined among recently diagnosed breast and prostate cancer survivors ( N = 678) associations between worry about a future diagnosis of heart disease or cancer and hypothetical and actual adherence to exercise and dietary guidelines. Greater worry about future illness was reported under the hypothetical scenario of nonadherence to guidelines relative to the scenario of adherence. Worry about potential heart disease was associated with…
More Just for Me than Which Others? Personal Justice Ascendancy, Perceived Discrimination in Healthcare, and Personal Well-Being in African Americans
A heuristic model to explain perceptions of unjust events
Accommodation processes in close relationships
A theory of accommodation processes is advanced, and the results of 6 studies are reported. Accommodation refers to the willingness, when a partner has engaged in a potentially destructive act, to inhibit impulses to react destructively and instead react constructively. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that accommodation is lower under conditions of reduced social concern and lower interdependence. Studies 3,4, and 5 revealed that accommodation is as…
A heuristic model to explain perceptions of unjust events
Reactions to Individuals Who Are Consistently Positive or Negative
This experiment exposed subjects to one of two interaction goals, and examined their attraction to interaction partners who differed in valence and variability. Specifically, subjects evaluated the desirability of potential interaction partners who were positive vs. negative in their evaluations of people and objects, and who exhibited high versus low variability in their evaluations. In addition, the subject's interaction goal was manipulated: H…
What Do We Really Want
General Performance on a Numeracy Scale among Highly Educated Samples
Background. Numeracy, how facile people are with basic probability and mathematical concepts, is associated with how people perceive health risks. Performance on simple numeracy problems has been poor among populations with little as well as more formal education. Here, we examine how highly educated participants performed on a general and an expanded numeracy scale. The latter was designed within the context of health risks. Method. A total of 4…
A Tailored Intervention to Aid Decisionmaking About Hormone Replacement Therapy
Decision aids related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), whether delivered in written form,1,2 along with audiotapes,3 or as part of discussion groups,4 have outperformed generic brochures in increasing knowledge and accuracy of risk assessments. However, these decision aids have provided women with population-based estimates of average risk, not individual risk levels that may have bearing on their decisions about HRT. Decision aids individua…
Depressive Realism and Health Risk Accuracy
We examine the role of level of depression on updating of health-related risk estimates. Participants provided their risk of getting breast cancer before (baseline) and after (follow-up) receiving personalized (experiment 1) or standard (experiment 2) medical risk feedback. Although there were no significant differences in risk estimates at baseline, the follow-up risk estimates indicate that compared to nondepressives, depressives lowered their …
Breast cancer risk perceptions and breast cancer worry
This longitudinal study explored the relationship between perceived breast cancer risk and worry. We measured both absolute and comparative risk perceptions, and also used the Gail algorithm to assess the accuracy of participants' risk perceptions. Three hundred and one women ages 40–75 participated in a two‐part study assessing how format of breast cancer risk presentation affected perceptions of risk. Relative to their Gail scores, women were b…
The Functions of Affect in Health Communications and in the Construction of Health Preferences
We examine potential roles of 4 functions of affect in health communication and the construction of health preferences. The roles of these 4 functions (affect as information, as a spotlight, as a motivator, and as common currency) are illustrated in the area of cancer screening and treatment decision making. We demonstrate that experienced affect influences information processes, judgments, and decisions. We relate the functions to a self-regulat…
Numeric, Verbal, and Visual Formats of Conveying Health Risks
Perception of health risk can affect medical decisions and health behavior change. Yet the concept of risk is a difficult one for the public to grasp. Whether perceptions of risk affect decisions and behaviors often relies on how messages of risk magnitudes (i.e., likelihood) are conveyed. Based on expert opinion, this article offers, when possible, best practices for conveying magnitude of health risks using numeric, verbal, and visual formats. …
Cancer Survivors' Health Worries and Associations with Lifestyle Practices
This study examined among recently diagnosed breast and prostate cancer survivors ( N = 678) associations between worry about a future diagnosis of heart disease or cancer and hypothetical and actual adherence to exercise and dietary guidelines. Greater worry about future illness was reported under the hypothetical scenario of nonadherence to guidelines relative to the scenario of adherence. Worry about potential heart disease was associated with…
College Smokers' Estimates of Their Probabilities of Remaining a Smoker in the Near Future
Community college and university smokers (N = 662) estimated their probability (0% to 100%) of remaining a smoker one and six months later and reported their confidence in their estimates. Smoking status was assessed at each time point. Analyses controlled for several correlates of both smoking status and probability estimates of remaining a smoker. Estimates of smoking status interacted with confidence to predict smoking status at one month, but…
Young smokers’ views of genetic susceptibility testing for lung cancer risk
It’s the Amount of Thought that Counts
Motivations for genetic testing for lung cancer risk among young smokers
In addition to learning about health risks, young people may be motivated to seek genetic testing for reasons, such as gaining knowledge about new genetic technologies more broadly
Relationships among factual and perceived knowledge of harms of waterpipe tobacco, perceived risk, and desire to quit among college users
Waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing in the United States among college students. Through a web-based survey, we explored associations among factual and perceived knowledge, perceived risks and worry about harm and addiction, and desire to quit among 316 college waterpipe tobacco smoking users. Overall, factual knowledge of the harm of waterpipe tobacco smoking was poor, factual and perceived knowledge was weakly correlated, both forms of know…
Lessons Learned From an Online Study with Dual-smoker Couples
Online data collection via surveys should use safeguards to capture valid data. Many safeguards exist, which researchers should consider when designing online survey projects
Willingness to provide support for a quit attempt
Support from close others predicts smoking abstinence, yet little research has investigated what factors promote support. This study investigates predictors of support for a quit attempt. Partners of smokers ( N = 131) reported their relationship quality, concern for partner's health, own smoking status, and intended support for a quit attempt. Smokers were less supportive than were nonsmokers. Relationship quality, concern for partners' health, …
Developing a scale to assess health regulatory focus
Association between felt ambivalence and the desire to quit waterpipe use among college students
College waterpipe tobacco smokers who feel more ambivalence, that is, conflicted about its use, may have a stronger desire to quit. Using baseline survey data of 315 college waterpipe smokers, we examined this relationship. While frequency of feeling ambivalence was low, greater ambivalence was related with desire to quit ( r = .46, p < .001). This relationship remained significant after accounting for several correlates of desire to quit (e.g. p…
Perceived Harms of Waterpipe Tobacco Heating Sources Among Young Adult Waterpipe Tobacco Smokers
Background. Waterpipe tobacco smoking is associated with many negative health outcomes due to toxicants produced by heating the tobacco using charcoal or electrical heaters. Little is known about how young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers perceive harms of these heating sources. Aims. To examine young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers’ perceived harms of electrical heaters and charcoal to heat waterpipe tobacco. Method. This online cross-sectional s…
You won’t regret it (or love it) as much as you think
When predicting the future, people tend to overestimate the intensity of their emotions, a phenomenon known as the impact bias. Design: In two studies, we examined the impact bias for health outcomes. In Study 1, participants were randomized to think about a negative health outcome in the future or one in the past. In Study 2, participants came to the laboratory and were asked to predict and report their emotions surrounding an actual health outc…
Tailored Mobile Messaging Intervention for Waterpipe Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults
Objectives. To test a tailored mobile health (i.e., mHealth) intervention for waterpipe tobacco cessation in young adults. Methods. From 2018 to 2020 at 2 US sites, we conducted a randomized trial with 349 waterpipe tobacco smokers aged 18 to 30 years randomized to control (no intervention), untailored, or tailored intervention arms. Intervention arms received a 6-week mHealth intervention conveying risks of waterpipe tobacco through text and ima…
Assessing multiple features of partner support for smoking cessation in dual-smoker couples
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new scale to measure multiple aspects of partner support for quitting smoking relevant to dual-smoker couples, called the Partner Support for Quitting Scale. The best model fit ( N = 238 individuals in 119 couples) considers the frequency of, confidence in, and perceived usefulness of partner support behaviors. Path analysis revealed that the Partner Support for Quitting Scale factors were uniquely pred…
Feasibility of dyadic peer support to augment a church-based healthy lifestyle programme
Objective: African Americans in the USA experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease. Healthy lifestyle promotion programmes can help decrease this disease risk. This study determined the feasibility of using dyadic peer support to augment an existing healthy lifestyle programme in African American churches. Design: A prospective pre-post design was used with 80 participants from three churches in the southeastern USA over an 18-week p…
Psychology (24 works) · Medicine (18 works) · Social Psychology (14 works) · Social Psychology (13 works) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (12 works) · Psychiatry (10 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Environmental health (8 works) · Smoking Behavior and Cessation (8 works) · Internal Medicine (7 works)