Here is the abstract from our previous study with BRCA positive women. This was written by Sharlene Hesse-Biber and submitted to the peer-reviewed Qualitative Health Research Journal. We are currently looking to learn more about diverse populations, but this article can give you a sense of our overall project. The article is called "The Genetic Testing Experience of BRCA Positive Women: Deciding Between Surveillance and Surgery" Abstract Little is known about how the Breast Cancer (BRCA) gene mutation affects women’s decision-making processes. A feminist standpoint lens is used to explore the process by which BRCA-positive women came to socially construct and understand their risk for developing breast and/or ovarian cancer and the treatment options they elect post testing. This study includes in-depth interviews with 64 BRCA positive mutation women, some of whom sought surveillance and others who opted for preventive surgical intervention. The in-depth analysis and case study approach reveal a complex cancer risk assessment resulting in a “nexus of decision making" that does not mirror a statistical “medical model” of risk assessment. The particular configuration of women’s “nexus of decision making” impacted their pre- and post-testing BRCA experience as empowering or disempowering, regardless of whether they elected surgery or surveillance. The process by which the implications for the development of clinical strategies will serve to enhance women’s pre- and post-BRCA decision making.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:43:08 +0000