Women's interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk: the influence of sociodemographics and knowledge.
The objective of this study was to assess women's interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk. Randomly selected samples of 761 women without breast cancer from the general population of British Columbia, Canada, and 260 women with breast cancer from the provincial cancer registry participated in a telephone survey that assessed interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk, knowledge of hereditary breast cancer and genetic testing, and sociodemographics. Women with breast cancer did not possess superior knowledge of breast cancer genetics compared with women from the general population. Of the women with breast cancer, 30.8% reported interest in testing or had been tested, compared with 28.5% of women without breast cancer. Controlling for differences in age, education, personal history of breast cancer, and knowledge of genetics, women with at least one relative with breast cancer were 2.3 times more likely to express interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk than those with no family history. There were significant interactions between breast cancer status and education and between age and knowledge of breast cancer genetics. Women without breast cancer and with a positive family history, who were between 20 and 40 years of age, were most likely to be interested in testing. The women with breast cancer who were interested in testing tended to be approximately 50 years of age, had a positive family history, and had more years of education. Women with a family history of breast cancer, well-educated women with breast cancer, and younger women, particularly those with knowledge of genetic testing, are important target audiences for community-based education on genetic testing for breast cancer risk.
Bottorff
Joan L
JL
School of Nursing, Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5 Canada. bottorff@nursing.ubc.ca
Ratner
Pamela A
PA
Balneaves
Lynda G
LG
Richardson
Chris G
CG
McCullum
Mary
M
Hack
Tom
T
Chalmers
Karen
K
Buxton
Jane
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D001955:British Columbia; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires