title: Incidence and predictors of positive and negative effects of BRCA1/2 genetic testing on familial relationships: a 3-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the long-term impact of BRCA1/2 testing on the relationships between family members. We assessed the incidence of positive and negative family relationship effects of BRCA1/2 testing in the 3 years after result disclosure and identified predictors of these effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 485 women and 67 men who had undergone BRCA1/2 testing were asked 3 years later whether having been tested had improved and/or disrupted relationships with their relatives. The associations with sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial characteristics were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Globally, 85.1% did not report any positive or negative effects of genetic testing on family relationships. Positive and negative effects were reported by 13.2% and 3.7% of participants, respectively. Reporting positive relationship effects was associated with older age, intolerance for uncertainty, cancer-specific distress, and more social support. Low education, positive attitude toward prophylactic mastectomy, and low social support increased the likelihood of negative effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings do not support the belief that family relationships are frequently disrupted by BRCA1/2 testing. Understanding that most family relationships are unchanged long term by genetic testing may help genetic service providers encourage those considering testing to overcome hesitancy related to potential difficulties of communicating results to relatives.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lapointe
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.forename: Andrea Farkas
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Patenaude
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maunsell
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorval
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D030881:Disclosure; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires