title: Changes of Socio-demographic data of clients seeking genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer due to the "Angelina Jolie Effect".
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics of clients claiming genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) in Austria. Furthermore, changes of these parameters before and after Angelina Jolie's (AJ) disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were evaluated.
  
  
  
  In this prospective, nonrandomized study 268 consecutive clients seeking genetic counseling for HBOC at the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vienna, Austria between June 2012 and June 2014 were included. Socio-demographic data and source of information about HBOC and genetic counseling were evaluated. First, socio-demographic parameters were compared to the general Austrian population. Second, changes in these parameters after AJ's public disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were analyzed.
  
  
  
  Subjects were more frequent female, younger and higher educated in comparison to Austria's general population (p < 0.001). Furthermore, level of education in participants was higher before than after AJ's disclosure (p = 0.046). Most clients were informed about genetic counseling by physicians. As expected, after AJ's public announcement patients were more frequent advised to genetic counseling by social media (p = 0.043) and family or friends (p = 0.010) than before.
  
  
  
  In this present study we could demonstrate that particularly younger and female participants with high educational level attended significantly more often genetic counseling for HBOC. Increased presence of HBOC in media since AJ's disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation had lead that information and awareness about HBOC was obtained by a wider audience from different social background.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the Sisters of Charity Linz, 4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staudigl
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pfeiler
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hrauda
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renz
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lichtenschopf
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. muy-kheng.tea@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Muy-Kheng M
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Tea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D061325:Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Angelina Jolie; BRCA; Genetic counseling; Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer; Socio-demographic data