Coping response and family communication of cancer risk in men harboring a BRCA mutation: A mixed methods study

• Published in: Psycho-oncology (Chichester, England) England), 2022-03, Vol.31 (3), p.486-495
• Main Authors: Dwyer, Andrew A., Hesse‐Biber, Sharlene, Shea, Hannah, Zeng, Ziwei, Yi, Shiya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: BRCA mutation; Breast cancer; Cancer; cascade screening; Communication; Coping; Genetic counseling; genetic risk; Genetic testing; hereditary breast ovarian cancer; Intervention; Interviews; Mapping; Mens health; Mixed methods research; Negative experiences; oncology; Ovarian cancer; Patient-centered care; Perceived control; Psychological distress; Qualitative research; Relatives; Risk assessment; Theory of Planned Behavior; Uncertainty; Women
• ISSN: 1057-9249; 1099-1611
• DOI: 10.1002/pon.5831

Objective Providing genetic counseling and genetic testing to at‐risk blood relatives (cascade screening) is important for improving BRCA cancer outcomes. Intra‐familial communication of risk is critical for cascade screening efforts yet relatively little is known about men's role in communicating BRCA risk. We sought to examine men's coping response to their BRCA status and intra‐familial communication of risk to inform the development of tailored interventions that could promote cascade screening. Methods We employed a sequential mixed‐methods design. First, we measured coping response (quantitative) using the Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA). MICRA scores were compared between BRCA+ men, BRCA− men and BRCA+ women. Subsequently, we used template analysis to analyze qualitative interviews exploring coping and intra‐familial communication of risk. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) served as a guiding framework for identifying intervention targets. Results BRCA+ men (n = 36) had significantly higher levels of distress (p