Abstract A50: Differences in perceived personal control among Latina women undergoing genetic cancer risk assessment for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer
Authors: Chavez Tanya A. , Nehoray Bita , Ricker Charité , Blazer Kathleen R. , Sand Sharon , Ashing Kimlin T. , Cordova Jaime , Uman Gwen , Yang Kai , Feldman Nancy , Weitzel Jeffrey N. 
Published: May 2016

Introduction: Genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) is a growing subspecialty that identifies individuals at risk for hereditary predisposition to cancer. Despite recognition of GCRA as a standard-of-care service, there are significant disparities in access to GCRA among at-risk underserved Latina women. Therefore, little is known about the emotional and decisional experience of Latinas undergoing GCRA. Previous studies have looked at the concept of perceived personal control (PPC) as an outcome variable of GCRA, measuring an individual's feelings of control related to the possibility of having a hereditary condition. This study examined PPC among patients participating in a randomized controlled study examining the effect of an adapted motivational interview (AMI) pre-GCRA telephone intervention to promote uptake of GCRA by underserved Latinas.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of the AMI intervention and GCRA on PPC at baseline, immediately pre- and post-GCRA among English and Spanish-speaking Latinas at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Method: Eligible participants were adult women who self-identified as Latina, understood English and/or Spanish, and met NCCN criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing. Participants were randomized to a motivational interview intervention, time and attention control, or usual care. A validated 9-item instrument to assess three dimensions of perceived personal control (behavioral, decisional, and cognitive control) over a genetic problem and the counseling process was translated to Spanish and verbally administered in the patients' preferred language at baseline (prior to randomization) and immediately pre and post-GCRA. A higher PPC score indicates an increased sense of PPC. The three dimensions of PPC encompass a total PPC score.

Results: Of the 411 participants, 323 (78.6%) were affected by breast cancer and 88 (21.4%) were unaffected at time of enrollment. Two-hundred and eighty-two (68.6%) were Spanish-speakers and 129 (31.4%) spoke English. While not significant, total PPC scores increased from baseline to post-GCRA and from pre-GCRA to post-GCRA, but decreased from baseline to pre-GCRA for all participants (the affected and unaffected individuals, including English and Spanish-speakers). Unaffected women had significantly higher total PPC scores than women affected with cancer (p=0.001). Unaffected patients had higher cognitive PPC scores at baseline (p=0.008), pre-GCRA (p=0.019), and post-GCRA (p=0.001) compared to the affected participants at all three time points. Unaffected individuals scored higher in behavioral PPC at post-GCRA than the affected participants (p=0.012). The unaffected individuals scored higher in decisional PPC at post-GCRA compared to the affected individuals (p=0.005). There were no significant differences in PPC scores between English and Spanish-speaking participants or between study arms.

Conclusion: Cognitive, decisional, behavioral, and total PPC scores were highest at post-GCRA among all groups (unaffected and affected individuals, and English and Spanish-speakers). Unaffected individuals had higher cognitive PPC scores at all three times points compared to affected participants. Interestingly, the affected participants scored higher in behavioral PPC at baseline, but scored lower post-GCRA compared to those who are unaffected. This suggests that after receiving information during GCRA, the unaffected individuals may believe that they have more control over their health and opportunities for cancer prevention. Decrease in total PPC from baseline to pre-GCRA may be associated with pre-counseling anxiety. More investigation into the three dimensions of PPC should be conducted in order to better understand their distinctions and relationship to GCRA.

Citation Format: Tanya A. Chavez, Bita Nehoray, Charité Ricker, Kathleen R. Blazer, Sharon Sand, Kimlin T. Ashing, Jaime Cordova, Gwen Uman, Kai Yang, Nancy Feldman, Jeffrey N. Weitzel. Differences in perceived personal control among Latina women undergoing genetic cancer risk assessment for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A50.