title: Causal Attribution of Breast Cancer by Survivors in French West Indies.
abstract: Patients frequently ask about the cause of their breast cancer. To answer, physicians refer to breast cancer risk factors based on medical reports. We aim to assess these risk factors for the point of view of survivors, a point of view which seems to differ from that of medical references. We ran a survey with open- and closed-ended questionnaires on patients' opinions about risks factors both for women in general and for their own case. We also collected data on their sources of information on this subject. Most patients had no opinion. The most frequently cited risk factors were stress, then genetic causes, and poor diet. Internet was the leading source of information for patients, followed by physicians and magazines. Our study highlights the mismatch between breast cancer risk factors as perceived by scientists and by survivors. Survivors tend to focus on non-controllable risk factors. Taking into account attribution theories of life events, an awareness of patient opinion may be valuable for psychological support of survivors, and it may be informative to record the way in which patients attribute causality for life events such as breast cancer and, more generally, all type of cancer.
authors: Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Pointe-à-Pitre/Abymes, Pôle Parent-Enfant, Service de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Route de Chauvel, BP 465, 97159, Pointe-à-Pitre cedex, Guadeloupe, France. philippe.kadhel@orange.fr.|Institut national de la santé et de la Recherche médicale (Inserm) U1085 - IRSET, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Campus de Fouillole, 97110, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France. philippe.kadhel@orange.fr.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Kadhel
authors: Service d'oncologie et équipe mobile de soins palliatifs. Centre Hospitalier de Basse-Terre, Av. Gaston Feuillard, 97109, Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, France.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Schuster
authors: Service d'oncologie et de radiothérapie. Hôpital Albert Clarac, Avenue Pasteur, 97200, Fort de France, Martinique, France.
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Grossat
authors: Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Pointe-à-Pitre/Abymes, Pôle Parent-Enfant, Service de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Route de Chauvel, BP 465, 97159, Pointe-à-Pitre cedex, Guadeloupe, France.
authors: Eustase
authors: E
authors: Janky
authors: Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Pointe-à-Pitre/Abymes, Pôle Parent-Enfant, Service de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Route de Chauvel, BP 465, 97159, Pointe-à-Pitre cedex, Guadeloupe, France.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Ghassani
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014900:West Indies
keywords: Breast cancer; Cancer risk factors; Causal attribution; Health information sources