Psychosocial and Clinical Factors Associated with Family Communication of Cancer Genetic Test Results among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at a Young Age

Ashley Elrick; Sato Ashida; Jennifer Ivanovich; Sarah Lyons; Barbara B Biesecker; Melody S Goodman; Kimberly A Kaphingst

doi:10.1007/s10897-016-9995-0

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Psychosocial and Clinical Factors Associated with Family Communication of Cancer Genetic Test Results among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at a Young Age

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Psychosocial and Clinical Factors Associated with Family Communication of Cancer Genetic Test Results among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at a Young Age

Ashley Elrick, Sato Ashida, Jennifer Ivanovich, Sarah Lyons, Barbara B Biesecker, Melody S Goodman and Kimberly A Kaphingst

Journal of genetic counseling, Vol.26(1), pp.173-181

02/2017

DOI: 10.1007/s10897-016-9995-0

PMCID: PMC5239754

PMID: 27422778

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Abstract

Genetic test results have medical implications beyond the patient that extend to biological family members. We examined psychosocial and clinical factors associated with communication of genetic test results within families. Women (N = 1080) diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger completed an online survey; 920 women that reported prior cancer genetic testing were included in analysis. We examined the proportion of immediate family members to whom they communicated genetic test results, and built multivariable regression models to examine clinical and psychosocial variables associated with the proportion score. Participants were most likely to communicate test results to their mother (83 %) and least likely to their son (45 %). Participants who carried a BRCA mutation (OR = 1.34; 95 % CI = 1.06, 1.70), had higher interest in genomic information (OR = 1.55; 95 % CI = 1.26, 1.91) and lower genetic worry (OR = 0.91; 95 % CI = 0.86, 0.96) communicated genetic test results to a greater proportion of their immediate family members. Participants with a BRCA1/2 mutation shared their genetic test results with more male family members (OR = 1.72; 95 % CI = 1.02, 2.89). Our findings suggest that patients with high worry about genetic risks, low interest in genomic information, or receive a negative genetic test result will likely need additional support to encourage family communication.

Mutation

Family - psychology

Genetic Predisposition to Disease

Genetic Testing

Humans

Disclosure

Genetic Counseling

Breast Neoplasms - genetics

Breast Neoplasms - psychology

Genes, BRCA2

Adult

Female

Genes, BRCA1

Communication

Details

Title: Subtitle: Psychosocial and Clinical Factors Associated with Family Communication of Cancer Genetic Test Results among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at a Young Age
Creators: Ashley Elrick - Department of Communication, University of Utah, 255 Central Campus Drive, LNCO, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA. Ashley.Elrick@hci.utah.edu
Sato Ashida - College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Jennifer Ivanovich - Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Sarah Lyons - Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Barbara B Biesecker - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
Melody S Goodman - Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Kimberly A Kaphingst - Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of genetic counseling, Vol.26(1), pp.173-181
DOI: 10.1007/s10897-016-9995-0
PMID: 27422778
PMCID: PMC5239754
NLM abbreviation: J Genet Couns
ISSN: 1059-7700
eISSN: 1573-3599
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 CA168608 / NCI NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/2017
Academic Unit: Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); Community and Behavioral Health
Record Identifier: 9984063140402771

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