Mammography-related anxiety: effect of preprocedural patient education.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of preprocedural education on mammography-related anxiety.


METHODS
A total of 613 women undergoing mammography were surveyed regarding anxiety about the procedure and expected results. Half the study population watched an educational videotape and half watched an entertaining movie in the waiting room.


RESULTS
Anxiety levels about results were significantly higher than anxiety levels about the procedure (P <.001). There was no difference in procedural or cancer anxiety levels among women shown the educational tape and those shown the entertaining movie.


CONCLUSIONS
The fear of discovering breast cancer generates most of mammography-related anxiety. Preprocedural education did not affect procedural or cancer-related anxiety.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
M B
MB
Mainiero
B
B
Schepps
N C
NC
Clements
C E
CE
Bird
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires