title: The impact of breast cancer genetic risk assessment on intentions to perform cancer surveillance behaviors.
abstract: One hundred and fifty-four women undergoing breast/ovarian cancer genetic risk assessment completed questionnaires at entry into the Cancer Genetic Service for Wales (CGSW) assessment program and following risk provision, mapping the strength of intentions to engage in a number of preventive/surveillance behaviors, including seeing specialists, breast self-examination, and involvement in screening programs, including mammography. A number of potential predictors of intentions were also assessed, including participants' mood and emotional response to receiving risk information, the perceived benefits (in terms of reassurance and early disease detection) of engaging in each preventive behavior, and the perceived desires of their family and General Practitioner. Intentions to self-examine did not change following risk provision, although strength of intentions to engage in some other preventive behaviors did lessen. Family and General Practitioners appeared to be strong social influences on behavioral intentions, as were the perceived benefits of gaining reassurance and/or early detection of disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nursing, Health and Social Research, University of Cardiff, Cardiff CF24 0AB, UK. bennettp1@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Gethin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: France
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brain
authors.forename: Jonathon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018570:Risk Assessment