title: Breast cancer worry in further examination of mammography screening--a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this systematic review, we explored which factors are associated with breast cancer (BC) worry in further examination (FE) of mammography screening and for how long women experience BC worry associated with FE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, Cochrane, Cinahl and the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment databases were used in the search. In addition to this, reference lists of the selected articles were inspected. The subject headings and keywords searched included breast screening, mammography screening, BC worry, distress or anxiety, additional test, further examination and recall. These were used separately and in combination. The databases gave 598 references. From the selected titles, 83 abstracts were read; from these, 23 publications were selected for full-text review. On the basis of full texts, 15 articles were chosen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were very few studies about the associations between FE and BC worry. In those found, the amount of measured variables was limited. BC worry in FE of breast screening was associated with several sociodemographic and psychosocial factors of recalled women, as well as those related to the FE process. About half of the recalled women were quite or very anxious in the prediagnostic phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review gave implications for interventions in the FE process of mammography screening. These interventions should predominantly be made in the preclinical phase and should differ according to the type of recall visit and characteristics of recalled women. In communicating the diagnosis to the women, the time from the examination process to diagnosis should be as short as possible, and in addition to physicians being present, other health care professionals should also be there to ensure the necessary emotional and practical support a woman needs in such a situation.
authors.affiliation: Learning Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Health Care and Nursing, Helsinki, Finland. eija.metsala@metropolia.fi
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Metsälä
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pajukari
authors.forename: Arja R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aro
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*