Risk perception for cancer and preventive behaviors in a sample of clients attending an outpatient cancer genetic counseling clinic / Percepção de risco para câncer e comportamentos preventivos em uma amostra de usuários de um ambulatório de aconselhamento genético oncológico

AUTOR(ES)

Tiago Barreto de Castro e Silva

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

This study researched the perception of risk for developing cancer and preventive behaviors of individuals with suspect of hereditary cancer syndromes. It aimed to describe the perception of risk and causes of the main neoplasms related to hereditary cancer syndromes in a sample of users of a genetic counseling service for cancer; to associate behaviors adopted for the prevention of tumors and family history of cancer; to establish prospect of the performance of preventive exams and the access to information about them on the studied population; to describe the individualsinterest in educative activities, genetic counseling and predictive genetic tests to hereditary cancer syndromes. A convenience sample of 51 individuals was selected in the Cancer Genetic Counseling Outpatient Clinic of the Medical Genetics Unit of the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Medical School. After the approval of the Research Ethics Committee, a pilot study was carried out and the data collection was performed between May and October 2009. For data collection, an instrument developed to be applied in a Latin North American population, and culturally adapted to the Brazilian reality, was used. It contained 22 questions and two 5-item Likert scales. Data were obtained by applying the instrument during the nursing cancer genetic counseling consultation. For analysis, descriptive statistics was used and the Qui-Square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Most of the participants were women (68.6%), with an age variation ranging from 18 to 40 years. The respondents considered their own risk as being the same as the populations risk, independently of their personal or family history of this disease. Psychological and emotional factors were considered to be the main cause of cancer, followed by heredity and smoking, and women were more likely to believe that genetics has the strongest effect on the risk of cancer (?2 1=5.38, p=0.02). No significant statistical association was found between the accomplishment of preventive exams and family history of cancer. Most of the sample (n=38) reported not to have the information needed concerning tumor screening and all of them expressed interest in obtaining more information about guidance on their personal risk for developing cancer. The search for explanations demonstrates the concern of clients affected by familial or hereditary cancers in better understanding the genetic aspects of their illness. The findings highlight the need for intervention by health professionals, especially nurses, who may conduct educational activities to this population as an essential component of nursing care in cancer genetics.

ASSUNTO(S)

genetic predisposition to disease enfermagem risco risk nursing neoplasias predisposição genética para doença neoplasms

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