Halbert Ch, Kessler L, Collier A, Paul Wileyto E, Brewster K, Weathers B
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Clin Genet. 2005 Sep;68(3):222-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2005.00483.x.
Despite attention to psychological issues during genetic counselling and testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk, limited information is available on cancer-specific distress among African American women being targeted for participation in counselling and testing. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine cancer-specific distress in African American women at an increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and to identify factors having significant associations with distress in this population. Respondents were 141 African American women identified for participation in genetic counselling and testing for BRCA1/2 mutations. Overall, respondents reported moderate levels of cancer-specific distress. Younger age (coefficient=6.0, p=0.001), being unemployed (coefficient=-5.0, p=0.01), and having a personal history of cancer (coefficient=5.0, p=0.02) had significant associations with intrusion. Younger age was also associated significantly with greater avoidance (r=6.0, p=0.02). These results suggest that African American women aged 50 and younger, those who are unemployed and women with a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer may be the most vulnerable to experiencing elevated levels of distress during genetic counselling and testing. Greater attention to psychological issues, including concerns about cancer and cancer risks, may be needed during genetic counselling and testing for BRCA1/2 mutations with these women.
尽管在遗传性乳腺癌和卵巢癌风险的遗传咨询及检测过程中已关注到心理问题，但针对参与咨询和检测的非裔美国女性的癌症特异性困扰方面的信息却很有限。因此，本研究的目的是调查遗传性乳腺癌和卵巢癌风险增加的非裔美国女性的癌症特异性困扰，并确定与该人群困扰有显著关联的因素。研究对象为141名被确定参与BRCA1/2突变基因咨询和检测的非裔美国女性。总体而言，受访者报告的癌症特异性困扰程度为中等。年龄较小（系数 = 6.0，p = 0.001）、失业（系数 = -5.0，p = 0.01）以及有个人癌症病史（系数 = 5.0，p = 0.02）与侵入感有显著关联。年龄较小还与更强的回避行为显著相关（r = 6.0，p = 0.02）。这些结果表明，50岁及以下的非裔美国女性、失业女性以及有乳腺癌或卵巢癌个人病史的女性在遗传咨询和检测期间可能最容易经历较高水平的困扰。在对这些女性进行BRCA1/2突变基因咨询和检测时，可能需要更加关注心理问题，包括对癌症和癌症风险的担忧。
