Yue Guan1, Celeste M Condit2, Cam Escoffery3, Cecelia A Bellcross4, Colleen M McBride3. 1. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, yue.guan@emory.edu. 2. Department of Communication Studies, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. 3. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 4. Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: National guidelines endorse using evidence-based tools to identify those at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). This study aimed to evaluate whether women deemed not to be at increased risk of being a BRCA mutation carrier; the majority of those screened, recall, understand and accept the implications of these results for breast cancer risk. METHODS: We conducted an online survey with women (n = 148) who screened negative on a brief HBOC screener. RESULTS: While women tended to accept HBOC screener as accurate (range 9-45; mean 32, SD 5.0), less than half (43%) accurately recalled their result. Only 52% understood that they were at low risk of carrying a mutation, and just 34% correctly understood their breast cancer risk. African American women were less likely to recall (33 vs. 53% respectively, OR 0.5, p = 0.03), understand (42 vs. 63% respectively, OR 0.4, p = 0.02), and accept (mean 31 vs. 33 respectively, β -2.1, p = 0.02) the result compared to Whites. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that those at low risk of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation had limited understanding of the distinction between mutation risk and breast cancer risk. Theory-based communication strategies are needed to increase the understanding of the implications of being at low risk for hereditary cancers.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: National guidelines endorse using evidence-based tools to identify those at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). This study aimed to evaluate whether women deemed not to be at increased risk of being a BRCA mutation carrier; the majority of those screened, recall, understand and accept the implications of these results for breast cancer risk. METHODS: We conducted an online survey with women (n = 148) who screened negative on a brief HBOC screener. RESULTS: While women tended to accept HBOC screener as accurate (range 9-45; mean 32, SD 5.0), less than half (43%) accurately recalled their result. Only 52% understood that they were at low risk of carrying a mutation, and just 34% correctly understood their breast cancer risk. African American women were less likely to recall (33 vs. 53% respectively, OR 0.5, p = 0.03), understand (42 vs. 63% respectively, OR 0.4, p = 0.02), and accept (mean 31 vs. 33 respectively, β -2.1, p = 0.02) the result compared to Whites. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that those at low risk of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation had limited understanding of the distinction between mutation risk and breast cancer risk. Theory-based communication strategies are needed to increase the understanding of the implications of being at low risk for hereditary cancers.