Anticipated health behaviour changes and perceived control in response to disclosure of genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer: A quantitative survey study among women in the UK

TY - JOUR

T1 - Anticipated health behaviour changes and perceived control in response to disclosure of genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer

T2 - A quantitative survey study among women in the UK

AU - Meisel, Susanne F.

AU - Fraser, Lindsay Sarah Mac Duff

AU - Side, Lucy

AU - Gessler, Sue

AU - Hann, Katie E.J.

AU - Wardle, Jane

AU - Lanceley, Anne

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Background Genetic risk assessment for breast cancer and ovarian cancer (BCOC) is expected to make major inroads into mainstream clinical practice. It is important to evaluate the potential impact on women ahead of its implementation in order to maximise health benefits, as predictive genetic testing without adequate support could lead to adverse psychological and behavioural responses to risk disclosure. Objective To examine anticipated health behaviour changes and perceived control to disclosure of genetic risk for BCOC and establish demographic and person-specific correlates of adverse anticipated responses in a population-based sample of women. Design Cross-sectional quantitative survey study carried out by the UK Office for National Statistics in January and March 2014. Setting Face-to-face computer-assisted interviews conducted by trained researchers in participants' homes. Participants 837 women randomly chosen from households across the UK identified from the Royal Mail's Postcode Address File. Outcome measures Anticipated health behaviour change and perceived control to disclosure of BCOC risk. Results In response to a genetic test result, most women (72%) indicated I would try harder to have a healthy lifestyle', and over half (55%) felt' it would give me more control over my life'. These associations were independent of demographic factors or perceived risk of BCOC in Bonferroni-corrected multivariate analyses. However, a minority of women (14%) felt it isn't worth making lifestyle changes' and that I would feel less free to make choices in my life' (16%) in response to BCOC risk disclosure. The former belief was more likely to be held by women who were educated below university degree level (P<0.001) after adjusting for other demographic and person-specific correlates. Conclusion These findings indicate that women in the UK largely anticipate that they would engage in positive health behaviour changes in response to BCOC risk disclosure.

AB - Background Genetic risk assessment for breast cancer and ovarian cancer (BCOC) is expected to make major inroads into mainstream clinical practice. It is important to evaluate the potential impact on women ahead of its implementation in order to maximise health benefits, as predictive genetic testing without adequate support could lead to adverse psychological and behavioural responses to risk disclosure. Objective To examine anticipated health behaviour changes and perceived control to disclosure of genetic risk for BCOC and establish demographic and person-specific correlates of adverse anticipated responses in a population-based sample of women. Design Cross-sectional quantitative survey study carried out by the UK Office for National Statistics in January and March 2014. Setting Face-to-face computer-assisted interviews conducted by trained researchers in participants' homes. Participants 837 women randomly chosen from households across the UK identified from the Royal Mail's Postcode Address File. Outcome measures Anticipated health behaviour change and perceived control to disclosure of BCOC risk. Results In response to a genetic test result, most women (72%) indicated I would try harder to have a healthy lifestyle', and over half (55%) felt' it would give me more control over my life'. These associations were independent of demographic factors or perceived risk of BCOC in Bonferroni-corrected multivariate analyses. However, a minority of women (14%) felt it isn't worth making lifestyle changes' and that I would feel less free to make choices in my life' (16%) in response to BCOC risk disclosure. The former belief was more likely to be held by women who were educated below university degree level (P<0.001) after adjusting for other demographic and person-specific correlates. Conclusion These findings indicate that women in the UK largely anticipate that they would engage in positive health behaviour changes in response to BCOC risk disclosure.

KW - breast cancer

KW - ovarian cancer

KW - predictive genetic testing

KW - risk

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051466079&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017675

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017675

M3 - Article

C2 - 29275340

AN - SCOPUS:85051466079

VL - 7

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 12

M1 - e017675

ER -