Psychologic distress in women with abnormal findings in mass mammography screening

• Published in: Cancer Vol. 85; no. 5; pp. 1114 - 1118
• Main Authors: Lowe, John B., Balanda, Kevin P, Del Mar, Christopher, Hawes, Ellen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-03-1999; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Breast; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; mammogram; Mammography - psychology; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; Mental Recall; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Prospective Studies; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Quality of Life; recall; screening; Tropical medicine; Tumors; Australia; Oceania; Human; Mammary gland diseases; Carcinoma; Radiodiagnosis; Mammography; Recall; Malignant tumor; Mammary gland; Medical screening; Psychological effect; Public health; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19990301)85:5<1114::AID-CNCR15>3.0.CO;2-Y

BACKGROUND
This study was conducted to explore the psychologic morbidity of women recalled for diagnostic assessment during population‐based mammographic screening.
METHODS
This study prospectively attempted to measure physical, social, and emotional well‐being by the administration of a questionnaire before screening, at the time of recall; and 1 month later to women recalled and matched women with those not recalled.
RESULTS
Of the 224 women who were recalled for further diagnostic assessment and their matches, complete follow‐up was obtained on 182 pairs (81.3%). In contrast to those women not recalled, recalled women exhibited increased levels of concern at the time of recall. These levels had not decreased to the initial level after 1 month, even though breast carcinoma was not diagnosed. Similar negative short term effects also were evident in the areas of physical well‐being, social functioning, and anxiety and insomnia levels, although these were not sustained.
CONCLUSIONS
Women with normal results after mass mammographic breast screening experienced no increase in psychologic distress and a decrease in their concern regarding breast carcinoma. However, those women who were recalled to follow‐up after abnormal findings experienced an increase in their level of concern regarding breast carcinoma and this concern was sustained, as determined by repeat questionnaire, 1 month after a negative result had been determined. Cancer 1999;85:1114–8. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Women with normal results after mass mammographic breast screening did not experience an increase in psychologic distress. Rather, they experienced a decrease in their level of concern regarding breast carcinoma. However, those women who were recalled for further testing after either an abnormal or inadequate mammogram experienced an increase in their level of concern regarding breast carcinoma. This level of concern regarding breast carcinoma was sustained up to 1 month after the final determination of a negative result.