Coping with appraised breast cancer risk among women with family histories of breast cancer

Abstract

This descriptive correlational study was based on Neuman's Systems Model and was designed to examine how women with family histories of breast cancer appraise and cope with breast cancer risk. Ninety percent of 209 women in the sample appraised their degree of breast cancer threat as moderate or high. Women with high degrees of appraised risk had low breast cancer risk scores, while women with moderate degrees of appraised risk had higher risk scores. The most common and effective coping modes used were confrontive, optimistic, and early detection behaviors. Over 75% of women either did not use evasive, emotive, palliative, and fatalistic modes of coping, or rated them as ineffective. Canonical correlation analyses revealed five different patterns of appraisal and coping behaviors and lent support to the premise that the type of coping behaviors used varies with how breast cancer risk is appraised.

Psychological Factors Associated with Emotional Responses to Receiving Genetic Risk Information

“…The second of Miller's factors explored was that of selfmanagement resources. In keeping with the findings of Lancaster (2005), the coping strategies adapted by participants were associated with mood. Unlike Lancaster, positive problem-focused coping did not appear to be protective.…”

“…The receipt of risk information is a complex situation in which the optimal coping efforts are not clear, and may involve use of both problem-and emotion-focused coping strategies. In one of the few studies that have examined this issue in the context of genetic risk assessment, Lancaster (2005) found that the most effective coping strategies were confrontive, optimistic, and problem-focused. Tercyak et al (2001) found that high levels of monitoring were associated with greater psychological distress.…”

Breast Cancer Risk and Immune Responses in Healthy Women

“…Breast cancer risk can be determined prior to the development of the disease by various genetic and biologic characteristics, personal health habits, lifestyle, or environmental factors (Lancaster, 2005). In the past, family history of breast cancer was a major source of breast cancer risk assessment, guiding the interpretation of the genetic and environmental context of disease (Loescher, 1999;Pharoah et al, 2000;Slattery & Kerber, 1993).…”

“…Although objective risk assessment is based on the known risk factors of breast cancer, subjective risk assessment can be infl uenced strongly by personal belief and perception about breast cancer (Champion, 1999;Slovic, 1987). Objective components of breast cancer risk (e.g., the presence of actual breast cancer risk factor) also may infl uence a person's subjective risk assessment (Lancaster, 2005). For instance, women with a family history of breast cancer have shown signifi cantly higher levels of subjective breast cancer risk compared with women without any family history (Erblich, Montgomery, Valdimarsdottir, Cloitre, & Bovbjerg, 2003;Valdimarsdottir et al, 1995;Zakowski et al, 1997).…”

Unlocking the potential of branding in social marketing services: utilising brand personality and brand personality appeal

“…Health and finance are contexts associated with the desire for safety and security, therefore aggressiveness is likely to be viewed as a trait that is overwhelming or threatening. This perceived threat can cause target audiences to feel fearful, and create anxiety and stress (Lancaster, 2005), leading to the avoidance of the service.…”