Predictors of breast cancer screening behavior in women with a strong family history of the disease.
This study applied the self-regulation model to examine cognitive and emotional predictors of screening in unaffected women with a strong family history of breast cancer. 748 unaffected female members of an Australian registry of multiple-case breast cancer families formed the sample. Participants completed a baseline psychosocial questionnaire and a screening questionnaire 3 years later. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to determine predictors of under- and over-screening according to national guidelines. At follow-up 16% of women under-screened and 10% over-screened with mammography; 55% under-screened with clinical breast examination (CBE); and 9% over-screened with breast self-examination (BSE). Of the women found screening according to guidelines for mammography 72% reported ever having received specific recommendations for mammography screening from a health professional. Compared to appropriate screeners, under-screeners on mammography were less likely to have received a screening recommendation (as were under-screeners on CBE), were younger and reported lower perceived breast cancer risk, but were at higher relative risk (RR) of breast cancer and were more likely to report elevated depression. Over-screeners on mammography were more likely to be younger and have a lower RR of breast cancer. Over-screeners on BSE reported elevated cancer-specific anxiety, were less likely to be university educated and more likely to have received a recommendation for BSE. Under- and over-screening is common in women with a strong family history of breast cancer. Evaluation of interventions targeting perceived risk of breast cancer, anxiety and depression are needed to ensure women obtain accurate advice from relevant specialists and enact screening recommendations.
Price
Melanie A
MA
Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Brennan MacCallum Building (A18), Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. melanie.price@sydney.usyd.edu.au
Butow
Phyllis N
PN
Charles
Margaret
M
Bullen
Tracey
T
Meiser
Bettina
B
McKinley
Joanne M
JM
McLachlan
Sue-Anne
SA
Phillips
Kelly-Anne
KA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001315:Australia; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010375:Pedigree; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult