Attendance of men at the familial cancer clinic: what they value from the consultation.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined what men from high-risk breast/ovarian cancer families valued from attending a familial cancer clinic.


METHODS
One hundred men from families with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation completed a self-administered questionnaire.


RESULTS
Seventy- two percent (72%) of men attended the familial cancer clinic at the request of a family member. Multivariate analyses showed that men with a preference for a collaborative decision-making style (B = -4.651, 95% CI = -9.014 to -0.289, P = 0.04), those with lower levels of education (B = -4.850, 95% CI = -9.16 to -0.537, P = 0.03), and those with higher levels of cancer-related anxiety (intrusion) (B = 0.920, 95% CI = 0.441-1.399, P < 0.001) were more likely to value emotional support from the clinic. Men with a collaborative decision-making style (B = -2.68, 95% CI = -4.91 to -0.467, P = 0.02) were less likely, and those with higher total levels of cancer-related anxiety (intrusion and avoidance) (B = 0.393, 95% CI = 0.008-0.779, P = 0.04) were more likely to value receiving information from the clinic.


CONCLUSIONS
A preference for collaborative decision making and cancer-related anxiety predicted men valuing information and emotional support from the consultation. The finding that men's attendance is initiated by family members highlights the value men place on family responsibility.
Calvary Health Care Sydney, Department of Palliative Care, Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. Liz.Lobb@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Elizabeth Anne
EA
Lobb
Clara L
CL
Gaff
Bettina
B
Meiser
Phyllis N
PN
Butow
Rebecca
R
Osseiran-Moisson
Nina
N
Hallowell
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009154:Mutation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C118024:BLID protein, human; D019313:BRCA1 Protein; C492913:BRCA1 protein, human; D024682:BRCA2 Protein; C551750:BRCA2 protein, human