Latent Class Analysis of Cancer Risk Behaviors Among College Students on Guam: A Pacific Islands Cohort of College Students Study (PICCS)

Aurienne Cruz, Cabrini Aguon, Michael Cajigal, Elaine C. de Leon, Reina Faye P. Evangelista, Su Bin Jin, Ella Macatugal (), Gian M. Paras, Lauren Nicole G. Villanueva, Grazyna Badowski and Yvette C. Paulino
Additional contact information
Aurienne Cruz: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Cabrini Aguon: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Michael Cajigal: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Elaine C. de Leon: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Reina Faye P. Evangelista: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Su Bin Jin: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Ella Macatugal: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Gian M. Paras: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Lauren Nicole G. Villanueva: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Grazyna Badowski: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA
Yvette C. Paulino: Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity, University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: This study aims to explore how cancer-related risk factors cluster among college students in Guam. Using the 2021–2022 Pacific Islands Cohort of College Students data, we conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) to organize the sample into classes based on clustering cancer risk factors, including tobacco use, binge drinking, low fruit/vegetable intake, physical inactivity, betel nut use, overweight/obesity, depression, and anxiety. Among the 577 college students surveyed, results show a high prevalence of low fruit/vegetable intake, overweight/obesity, depression, and anxiety. The LCA identified three classes, each defined by different clustering cancer risk behaviors. All classes showed high prevalence of low fruit/vegetable intake. Class 1 had the highest rates of tobacco use, betel nut use, and binge drinking. Class 2 had the highest rates of physical inactivity, depression, and anxiety. Class 3 had the lowest rates of betel nut use, overweight/obese, depression, and anxiety when compared with Classes 1 and 2. The clustering of risk behaviors highlights the need for targeted interventions and prevention strategies among Guam’s youth, aiming to address these behaviors and potentially reduce cancer risk in the region.

Keywords: cancer; cancer risk factors; non-communicable diseases; Guam; latent class analysis; college students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/755/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/755/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:5:p:755-:d:1653637

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().