The Influence of Breast Cancer Risk and Risk Perception on Lifestyle Behaviors Among Women With a Family History: A Mixed Method Approach
Condition: Breast Neoplasms
MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Lifestyle behaviors among women with a family history of breast cancer are likely to be
      influenced by a number of factors, including both objective risk factors and subjective risk,
      or perceived risk. The aims of this mixed method study are twofold and will be explored
      through both quantitative (i.e. secondary survey data) and qualitative data (i.e. personal
      in-depth interviews) derived from the Sister Study, a large epidemiologic study being
      conducted through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which is
      addressing risk factors for breast cancer in sisters of women who have had breast cancer. The
      quantitative aims include an exploration of lifestyle behaviors and behavioral differences
      between White and African American women, as well as well as an exploration of the
      relationships between lifestyle behaviors (i.e. varying levels of objective risk based on
      Gail model risk scores, medical risk-reducing factors (i.e. use of Tamoxifen or Raloxifene
      and/or prophylactic surgery), as well as additional factors that may be contributors to
      perceived risk. This aim will be addressed using data that have already been collected as
      part of the baseline activities for the Sister Study. The primary qualitative aim is to gain
      a better understanding about perceived risk and the relationship between perceived risk and
      lifestyle behaviors in both White and African American women with a family history of breast
      cancer. This aim requires the collection of new data through in-person interviews with
      between 28 and 40 women, depending on how many interviews are required to achieve "data
      saturation."

      The mixed method approach will be based on a "complementarity" model, which emphasizes the
      use of two different methods to address different aspects of the research problem. Results
      from both methods will become integrated into the discussion of the findings and it is
      expected that this approach will enrich the study and allow for elaboration of the
      quantitative results. The secondary data analysis will be derived from approximately 10,000
      women, initially enrolled in the Sister Study, who are between the ages of 35 and 74 and have
      had at least one sister affected by breast cancer. Women for the qualitative interviews will
      be recruited from a cohort of Sister Study participants residing within North Carolina and
      will include equal numbers of both White and African American women. It is expected that 28
      women will be needed for qualitative data saturati...
    

Detailed description: 
      Lifestyle behaviors among women with a family history of breast cancer are likely to be
      influenced by a number of factors, including both objective risk factors and subjective risk,
      or perceived risk. The aims of this mixed method study are twofold and will be explored
      through both quantitative (i.e. secondary survey data) and qualitative data (i.e. personal
      in-depth interviews) derived from the Sister Study, a large epidemiologic study being
      conducted through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which is
      addressing risk factors for breast cancer in sisters of women who have had breast cancer. The
      quantitative aims include an exploration of lifestyle behaviors and behavioral differences
      between White and African American women, as well as an exploration of the relationships
      between lifestyle behaviors (i.e. varying levels of objective risk based on Gail model risk
      scores, medical risk-reducing factors (i.e. use of Tamoxifen or Raloxifene and/or
      prophylactic surgery), as well as additional factors that may be contributors to perceived
      risk. This aim will be addressed using data that have already been collected as part of the
      baseline activities for the Sister Study. The primary qualitative aim is to gain a better
      understanding about perceived risk and the relationship between perceived risk and lifestyle
      behaviors in both White and African American women with a family history of breast cancer.
      This aim requires the collection of new data through in-person interviews with between 28 and
      40 women, depending on how many interviews are required to achieve "data saturation."

      The mixed method approach will be based on a "complementarity" model, which emphasizes the
      use of two different methods to address different aspects of the research problem. Results
      from both methods will become integrated into the discussion of the findings and it is
      expected that this approach will enrich the study and allow for elaboration of the
      quantitative results. The secondary data analysis will be derived from approximately 10,000
      women, initially enrolled in the Sister Study, who are between the ages of 35 and 74 and have
      had at least one sister affected by breast cancer. Women for the qualitative interviews will
      be recruited from a cohort of Sister Study participants residing within North Carolina and
      will include equal numbers of both White and African American women. It is expected that 28
      women will be needed for qualitative data saturation (i.e. no new information comes forth) to
      occur.

      The primary outcome measures for the quantitative component of the study are dietary fat
      intake, fruit and vegetable consumption, alcohol use and physical activity, which will all be
      measured categorically. Physical activities will first be converted into MET (metabolic
      equivalent) values and then MET values will be summed across all activities before
      categorizing into quartiles or quintiles. Qualitative data will be analyzed through content
      analysis, which will involve the identification of common themes or ideas expressed in
      response to questions from a semi-structured interview guide developed specifically to
      address the aims of the study.
    

Time perspective: Prospective
Keywords: Objective Risk; Gail Model; Subjective Risk; Medical Risk-Reducing Strategies; Physical Activity, Diet, Alcohol Use; Breast Cancer Risk