Examining risk perception among men with a family history of prostate cancer - Abstract

Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Urology, Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

This paper explores factors that influence the formulation of risk perception among men with a family history of prostate cancer who are currently attending a prostate cancer screening clinic.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen participants. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

The following themes were identified: Risk Information Pathways, Experience with Other Prostate Disease, Exposure to Prostate Cancer Screening, Exposure to Affected Relatives, Lifestyle Factors, Illness Beliefs, and Health-Based Risk Comparisons.

Understanding the contributors to risk perception and applying this knowledge during screening visits and genetic counselling may help to reduce risk distortion and result in increased adherence to screening programs and reduced psychological distress.

Prostate cancer screening should incorporate counselling to address patient-specific risk concepts in order to increase the accuracy and maintain the stability of risk perceptions.

Written by:
Matthew AG, Paradiso C, Currie KL, Finelli A, Hartman ME, Trachtenberg L, Shuman C, Horsburgh S, Chitayat D, Trachtenberg J, Ritvo P.   Are you the author?

Reference: Patient Educ Couns. 2011 Feb 8. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2010.11.020

PubMed Abstract
PMID: 21310580

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