A randomized controlled trial to assess the psychological impact of a family history screening questionnaire in general practice.
BACKGROUND
It has been postulated that systematic enquiry about patients' family histories of inherited illnesses would lead to a population of 'worried well'.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if the use of a family history screening questionnaire (FHSQ) as part of a general practice health check leads to psychological distress.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized controlled trial of a self-administered FHSQ in a single general practice. Individuals who had not had a health check within the previous 2 years were randomized within three age group strata to intervention group (receiving health check and FHSQ) or control group (only receiving health check). A total of 156 patients were offered health checks; 100 accepted and 76 of them were followed through to the 3-month end point. Responses to the six-item Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perception of Health questionnaire and Family History Concern questionnaire were compared between intervention and control groups.


RESULTS
A two-way analysis of variance on the STAI scores 1 and 2 weeks after the health check with baseline scores as a covariate showed that at both times anxiety was higher in the intervention group than in the controls (F = 6.4; d.f. = 1,73; P = 0.014). Three months later, there was no significant difference between the two groups. The Perception of Health questionnaire only showed a significant result at 1 week, the intervention group having a more pessimistic response to the question eliciting patient's concerns about future health (P = 0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term psychological distress due to the family history screening questionnaire was identified but did not persist.
Qureshi
N
N
Division of General Practice, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Standen
P J
PJ
Hapgood
R
R
Hayes
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005192:Family Health; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires