Michael J. Green|Susan K. Peterson|Maria Baker|Lois C. Friedman|Gregory Harper|Wendy S. Rubinstein|June A. Peters|David T. Mauger
Use of an educational computer program before genetic counseling for breast cancer susceptibility: Effects on duration and content of counseling sessions
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center|The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center|Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center|Baylor College of Medicine|Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono|Pennsylvania State University|NorthShore University HealthSystem|National Institutes of Health|Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
purposepatients seeking genetic testing inherited breast cancer risk typically educated genetic counselors however growing demand cancer genetic testing likely exceed availability counselors trained area compared effectiveness counseling alone versus counseling preceded use computerbased decision aid among women referred genetic counseling family personal history breast cancermethodswe developed evaluated interactive computer program educates women breast cancer heredity genetic testing may 2000 september 2002 women six study sites randomized either counselor group n 105 received standard genetic counseling computer group n 106 used interactive computer program counseling clients counselors evaluated effectiveness counseling sessions counselors completed additional measures computer group counselors also recorded duration sessionresultsbaseline characteristics differ significantly groups participants counselors rated counseling sessions highly effective whether sessions preceded computer use computer use resulted significantly shorter counseling sessions among women low risk carrying brca12 mutations approximately half sessions preceded clients computer use counselors indicated clients use computer program affected way used time shifting focus away basic education toward personal risk decisionmakingconclusionthis study shows interactive computer program breast cancer risk genetic testing valuable adjunct genetic counseling use counseling shorten counseling sessions allow counselors focus clients individual risks specific psychological concerns demand counseling services increases program play valuable role enhancing counseling efficiency