Perception of risk, anxiety, and health behaviors in women at high risk for breast cancer

Perception of risk, anxiety, psychological distress, and early detection be havior were investigated in 23 women with a family history of breast cancer who attended genetic counseling and 21 women without a family history of b reast cancer. In addition to a breast cancer-specific questionnaire, the Sy mptom Checklist 90-Revised and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. Thirty-nine percent of the women with a family history of breast cancer co rrectly identified and 48% overestimated their own lifetime risk. Risk perc eption was independent of genetic counseling. Levels of general psychologic al morbidity were similar between women with a family history of breast can cer and controls. For controls, early detection behavior was related to lif etime risk estimate and was, in general, independent of level of anxiety. D espite genetic counseling, many women continued to perceive their own lifet ime risk of breast cancer inaccurately. They might benefit from additional counseling on risk assessment.