False-positive findings in mammography screening induces shortterm distress - breast cancer-specific concern prevails longer

The aim of this study was to examine psychological distress in a mammograph y screening process as a consequence of screening after adjusting for backg round, personality and prescreening distress. Subjects, aged 50 years, were invitees at their first screening. There were three groups, normal finding s (n = 1407), false-positive findings (n = 492) and referents from outside the screening programme (n = 1718, age 48-49 years). Distress was measured as illness worry, anxiety, depression, cancer beliefs and early detection b ehaviour. Measurements were one month before screening invitation with foll ow-ups at 2 and 12 months postscreening. At 2 months, there was a moderate multivariate effect of group on distress, and intrusive thinking and worry about breast cancer, in particular, were most frequent amongst the false po sitives. Intrusive thinking still prevailed at 12 months, in addition to a higher perceived breast cancer risk and susceptibility. Distress related to screening and false-positive findings seems to be moderate, but prevailing cancer-specific concerns call for improvements in screening programmes. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.