EP308: Factors associated with acquisition of inherited cancer knowledge after viewing a web-based educational tool among Black women with breast cancer

Abstract

Prior to genetic testing for inherited cancer, national guidelines recommend patients receive basic content focused on inherited cancers, including concepts focused on inheritance, types of genetic test results, cancer risks and medical care, benefits of testing, and laws against genetic discrimination. We sought to evaluate factors associated with acquisition of knowledge pertaining to inherited cancer content after viewing an interactive web-based educational tool among Black women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at or below the age of 50. Study participants were drawn from an existing IRB approved study. All participants were consented and asked to view a scalable, easy-to-use, 12-minute web-based educational tool that included standard pre-test genetic counseling elements related to panel-based genetic testing for multiple cancer risk genes. All participants completed a pre- and post-tool survey before and after viewing the educational tool to collect demographic and clinical characteristics (ie, income, education, employment status, marital status, health insurance, parity, and genetic testing history), as well as 10 knowledge questions. Overall knowledge scores ranged from 0 to 10, with 1 point assigned for each correct answer. Median pre- and post-tool knowledge scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test to assess knowledge acquisition. Overall post-tool knowledge scores were categorized as ≤ 50% versus > 50% and compared across demographic and clinical characteristics using binary logistic regression. All statistical tests were considered significant at an alpha of 0.05. Of the 68 participants who consented and completed the pre- and post-tool surveys, mean age was 50, including 37 (54%) with an income of ≥ $50k, 42 (62%) who graduated college, 48 (71%) who had full-time employment, 30 (44%) who were married or cohabitating, 41 (60%) with private insurance, 49 (72%) with at least one child, and 55 (81%) who had genetic testing prior to study enrollment. Median knowledge scores significantly increased from 4 to 6 after viewing the tool (p<.001). Participants who had a college degree were more likely to receive a post-tool knowledge score of higher than 50% compared with those who did not graduate college (p=.019) as shown in Table 1. Our findings demonstrate that inherited cancer knowledge significantly increased after viewing our web-based educational tool among study participants, and knowledge acquisition was higher among those with a college education. Our findings suggest that a web-based tool may be an effective educational method in the pre-test genetic counseling setting among Black women with breast cancer.Table 1Logistic Regression Results for Knowledge AcquisitionPost-tool Knowledge Score of > 50%POR95% CIIncome ≥ $50k2.9970.880 – 10.206.079College graduate4.9571.303 – 18.855.019Employed full-time4.0150.653 – 24.699.134Married or cohabitating1.7350.483 – 6.226.398Private insurance0.1750.027 – 1.140.068Has children2.1670.580 – 9.096.250Had previous genetic testing2.2150.492 – 9.977.300 Open table in a new tab