Predicting the Use of Individualized Risk Assessment for Breast Cancer

Bartle-Haring, Suzanne; Toviessi, Paula; Katafiasz, Heather

doi:10.1016/j.whi.2008.01.002

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Volume 18, Issue 2 , Pages 100-109, March 2008

Predicting the Use of Individualized Risk Assessment for Breast Cancer

Suzanne Bartle-Haring, PhD
- Suzanne Bartle-Haring, PhD, is a professor of couple and family therapy in the department of Human Development and Family Science at The Ohio State University. She is a researcher interested in testing the propositions of Bowen Family Systems Theory as they related to health decision making.
- Correspondence to: Suzanne Bartle-Haring, PhD, The Ohio State University, Department of Hima Development and Family Science, 135 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210.
Paula Toviessi, PhD
- Paula Toviessi, PhD, currently holds a post doctoral position through the department of Human Development and Family Science at The Ohio State University. She is working with two projects on runaway and homeless youth. Her specific research interests include health decision making models that involve a larger systems viewpoint.
Heather Katafiasz, MS
- Heather Katafiasz, MS, is a PhD student in the couple and family therapy program in the department of Human Development and Family Science at The Ohio State University. She was the graduate assistant on this project.

Department of Human Development and Family Science, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Received 4 May 2007; accepted 11 January 2008.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the decision to obtain individualized risk assessment (IRA) after a breast cancer education session.

Methods

A sample of both African American and Caucasian women was used to determine if there were differences by race/ethnicity in uptake of the assessment and differences in the variables that were most predictive of uptake. The sample included 166 women between the ages of 18 and 80. Sixty-two percent of the sample were African American women.

Key Findings

The results suggested that African American women and Caucasian women used different factors and used other factors differently to decide whether or not to obtain an IRA.

Conclusions and Implications

These results are discussed within the context of health disparities among ethnic minority and Caucasian women with implications for breast cancer control programs. The results of this study suggest that knowledge alone does not lead to opting for a personalized risk assessment, and that African American and Caucasian women use different pieces of information, or information differently to make decision about getting more personalized information about risk.