Association between temporal orientation and attitudes about BRCA1/2 testing among women of African descent with family histories of breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have identified specific attitudes (pros and cons) about BRCA testing held by women of African descent that are associated with decisions to participate in testing. These testing attitudes may be determined, in part, by temporal orientation, or how one perceives the significance of events and the consequences of their actions in terms of past, present, and future. The current study explored the relationship between temporal orientation and pros and cons of BRCA testing among 140 women of African descent with a family history suggestive of a genetic mutation predisposing to breast cancer.


METHODS
Participants completed measures of temporal orientation and genetic testing attitudes.


RESULTS
Multivariate analyses indicated that future orientation was positively associated with perceived pros of testing. Additional analyses revealed significant associations between temporal orientation and specific item subsets related to the negative and positive impact of testing on family and personal control over one's health.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support an association between temporal orientation and attitudes about BRCA testing among women of African descent with family histories of breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings support exploration of temporal orientation in future research on BRCA testing decisions among women of African descent and this construct's importance in developing decision aids and tailoring genetic counseling.
Edwards
Tiffany A
TA
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. tiffany.edwards@mssm.edu
Thompson
Hayley S
HS
Kwate
Naa Oyo A
NO
Brown
Karen
K
McGovern
Margaret M
MM
Forman
Andrea
A
Kapil-Pair
Nidhi
N
Jandorf
Lina
L
Bovbjerg
Dana H
DH
Valdimarsdottir
Heiddis B
HB
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009518:New York; D009949:Orientation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D013998:Time Perception; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*