The reactions of general practitioners, nurses and midwives in Flanders concerning breast cancer risks in a high-risk situation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reactions of general practitioners (GPs), nurses and midwives concerning the cancer risks in a high-risk family.


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to 356 GPs, 881 nurses and 119 midwives.


RESULTS
The response rate was 60% for GPs, 58% for midwives and 33% for nurses. The breast cancer risk of an unaffected patient from a high-risk family as well as the risk of her daughter were mostly (>80%) correctly evaluated as increased. The percentage answering 'increased risk' dropped to 40% for the daughters of the patient's brother. Half of the GPs and nurses/midwives explicitly mentioned that a predictive DNA test was available. Less than one third would recommend such a test for a young child. Reluctance was also observed regarding prophylactic mastectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
These results should be taken into account in genetic education initiatives for GPs, nurses and midwives.
Psychosocial Genetics Unit, Centre for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.
Myriam
M
Welkenhuysen
Gerry
G
Evers-Kiebooms
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001530:Belgium; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D008880:Midwifery; D009726:Nurses; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010821:Physicians, Family; D018570:Risk Assessment