Exploring the emotional and behavioural reactions to receiving personalized melanoma genomic risk information: a qualitative study.
Adult
Aged
Emotions
Genetic Counseling
/ psychology
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
/ psychology
Genetic Testing
Health Behavior
Health Communication
Humans
Information Dissemination
Male
Melanoma
/ genetics
Middle Aged
New South Wales
Patient Education as Topic
Patient Preference
Pilot Projects
Risk Assessment
/ methods
Skin Neoplasms
/ genetics
Young Adult
Journal
The British journal of dermatology
ISSN: 1365-2133
Titre abrégé: Br J Dermatol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0004041
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
06 2019
06 2019
Historique:
accepted:
18
12
2018
pubmed:
24
12
2018
medline:
7
7
2020
entrez:
24
12
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
There is a need for greater understanding of the spectrum of emotional and behavioural reactions that individuals in the general population may experience in response to genomic testing for melanoma risk. To explore how individuals in the general population respond to receiving personalized genomic risk of melanoma. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 30 participants (aged 24-69 years, 50% female, 12 low risk, eight average risk, 10 high risk) recruited from a pilot trial in which they received personalized melanoma genomic risk information. We explored participants' emotional and behavioural responses to receiving their melanoma genomic risk information. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. Many participants reported a positive response to receiving their melanoma genomic risk, including feelings of happiness, reassurance and gaining new knowledge to help manage their melanoma risk. Some participants reported short-term negative emotional reactions that dissipated over time. Most individuals, particularly those who received average or high-risk results, reported making positive behaviour changes to reduce their melanoma risk. Emotional and behavioural responses were linked to participants' expectations for their risk result, their pre-existing perception of their own melanoma risk, their existing melanoma preventive behaviours and their genomic risk category. Personalized melanoma genomic risk information alongside education and lifestyle counselling is favourably received by people without a personal history and unselected for a family history of melanoma. Participants described increased knowledge and awareness around managing skin cancer risk and improved sun protection and skin examination behaviours. Any initial feelings of distress usually dissipated over time.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
There is a need for greater understanding of the spectrum of emotional and behavioural reactions that individuals in the general population may experience in response to genomic testing for melanoma risk.
OBJECTIVES
To explore how individuals in the general population respond to receiving personalized genomic risk of melanoma.
METHODS
Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 30 participants (aged 24-69 years, 50% female, 12 low risk, eight average risk, 10 high risk) recruited from a pilot trial in which they received personalized melanoma genomic risk information. We explored participants' emotional and behavioural responses to receiving their melanoma genomic risk information. The qualitative data were analysed thematically.
RESULTS
Many participants reported a positive response to receiving their melanoma genomic risk, including feelings of happiness, reassurance and gaining new knowledge to help manage their melanoma risk. Some participants reported short-term negative emotional reactions that dissipated over time. Most individuals, particularly those who received average or high-risk results, reported making positive behaviour changes to reduce their melanoma risk. Emotional and behavioural responses were linked to participants' expectations for their risk result, their pre-existing perception of their own melanoma risk, their existing melanoma preventive behaviours and their genomic risk category.
CONCLUSIONS
Personalized melanoma genomic risk information alongside education and lifestyle counselling is favourably received by people without a personal history and unselected for a family history of melanoma. Participants described increased knowledge and awareness around managing skin cancer risk and improved sun protection and skin examination behaviours. Any initial feelings of distress usually dissipated over time.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1390-1396Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
© 2018 British Association of Dermatologists.