The double-edged sword of ovarian cancer information for women at increased risk who have previously taken part in screening

Smits, Stephanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7897-150X, Boivin, Jacky ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9498-1708, Menon, Usha and Brain, Katherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9296-9748 2016. The double-edged sword of ovarian cancer information for women at increased risk who have previously taken part in screening. Ecancermedicalscience 2016 (10) , 650. 10.3332/ecancer.2016.650

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Abstract

Background: Women at increased risk who decide not to have, or to delay, risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy have to rely on early diagnosis through symptom awareness and presenting to primary care as soon as possible in the absence of screening. However, little is known about the acceptability to women of this strategy. We aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of women’s perceptions and previous experiences of ovarian cancer symptom management, and the influences on ovarian cancer awareness and anticipated symptom presentation. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight women at increased risk of ovarian cancer who had previously taken part in ovarian cancer screening and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: Familial experience of ovarian cancer and perceived personal risk shaped women’s perceptions and behavioural responses to disease threat. Ovarian cancer information was perceived to be a double-edged sword, regarded as either useful for increasing knowledge and confidence in discussing symptom concerns with health professionals or to be avoided due to fears about cancer. Conclusion: Women may be cautious about searching for information independently and in the absence of routine ovarian screening. Practice implications: Thought needs to be given to how best to create and disseminate credible ovarian cancer symptom information materials.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Psychology
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Publisher:	Cancer Intelligence
ISSN:	1754-6605
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 July 2016
Date of Acceptance:	8 June 2016
Last Modified:	18 May 2024 17:31
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/92123

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