Abstract
Background: Inadequate understanding of risk among counselees is a common problem in familial cancer clinics. It has been suggested that graphical displays can help counselees understand cancer risks and subsequent decision-making. We evaluated the effects of a graphical presentation in addition to a frequency format on counselees' understanding, psychological well-being, and preventive intentions.
Design: Multicenter controlled trial.
Setting: Three familial cancer clinics in the Netherlands.
Methods: Participants: Unaffected women with a breast cancer family history (first-time attendees).
Intervention: Immediately after standard genetic counseling, an additional consultation by a trained risk counselor took place where women were presented with their lifetime breast cancer risk in frequency format (X out of 100) (n = 63) or frequency format plus graphical display (10 x 10 human icons) (n = 91).
Main outcome measures: understanding of risk (risk accuracy, risk perception), psychological well-being, and intentions regarding cancer prevention. Measurements were assessed using questionnaires at baseline, 2-week and 6-month follow-up.
Results: Baseline participant characteristics did not differ between the two groups. In both groups there was an increase in women's risk accuracy from baseline to follow-up. No significant differences were found between women who received the frequency format and those who received an additional graphical display in terms of understanding, psychological well-being and intentions regarding cancer prevention. The groups did not differ in their evaluation of the process of counseling.
Conclusion: Women's personal risk estimation accuracy was generally high at baseline and the results suggest that an additional graphical display does not lead to a significant benefit in terms of increasing understanding of risk, psychological well-being and preventive intentions.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 55 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making |
Volume | 13 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 29-Apr-2013 |
Keywords
- Breast cancer
- Genetic counseling
- Risk communication
- Risk perception
- Cancer worry
- Decision-making
- Graphical display
- BRCA1/2 MUTATION
- PERCEPTION
- DECISIONS
- HEALTH
- IMPACT
- INFORMATION
- PENETRANCE
- AVOIDANCE
- HISTORY
- NUMBERS