The impact of intolerance of uncertainty on anxiety after receiving an informational intervention about HPV: a randomised controlled study.
This study examined the impact of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and an informational intervention about human papillomavirus (HPV) infection on perceived uncertainty about one's HPV testing status (referred to as 'HPV uncertainty') and anxiety. IU, HPV uncertainty and other pre-intervention measures were assessed through mailed questionnaires. Participants were then randomly assigned to receive either a long (N = 125) or short (N = 124) HPV-specific information pamphlet or a long (N = 131) or short (N = 115) control pamphlet about cancer prevention. Participants subsequently completed measures of HPV uncertainty and anxiety. Providing a lot of HPV information increased HPV uncertainty more than providing little HPV information and cancer prevention information. Among women who received the long HPV or the short control pamphlet, those with higher IU were more anxious than those with lower IU. Women with higher IU are more likely to seek HPV information, but they may also be at risk for experiencing higher anxiety because factual uncertainties about HPV cannot be resolved through the provision of more information.
Rosen
Natalie O
NO
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1B1. natalie.rosen@mcgill.ca
Knäuper
Bärbel
B
Di Dio
Pasqualina
P
Morrison
Eleshia
E
Tabing
Reena
R
Feldstain
Andrea
A
Amsel
Rhonda
R
Mayrand
Marie-Hélène
MH
Franco
Eduardo L
EL
Rosberger
Zeev
Z
D000328:Adult; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus; D001007:Anxiety; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D035501:Uncertainty; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology