Percutaneous core biopsy of the breast: Correlates of anxiety

Rationale and Objectives. The authors performed this study to investigate t he level of patient anxiety immediately preceding breast biopsy and examine d potential clinical and demographic correlates of anxiety. Materials and Methods. The authors evaluated 102 women who were referred to a radiology breast clinic to undergo breast biopsy. The women were assesse d with a self-report of demographic and medical items and the State Trait A nxiety Inventory (STAI) immediately before their biopsy. The STAI also was administered at 1 and 5 days after biopsy. Results. The participants' mean state anxiety T score as measured with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory was 71.1 (standard deviation, 7.2). Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the correlates of state anxi ety. The variables that showed the strongest correlation with state anxiety were trait anxiety, being concerned about the results of biopsy, education (less education was associated with more anxiety), age tan older age was a ssociated with more anxiety), and number of relatives with breast cancer. G iven the expected overlap (r = 0.55) between state and trait anxiety, a sec ond regression analysis was performed that controlled for trait anxiety. Th e results of this analysis also identified age, being concerned about the r esults of the biopsy. and number of relatives with breast cancer as relevan t correlates of state anxiety. Conclusion. Overall. the results give some indication of the characteristic s of women likely to be most anxious before biopsy. Future research should assess the effectiveness of different strategies for addressing situational anxiety.