Psychosocial consequences among women with false-positive results after mammography screening in Norway

Marit Solbjør,Siri Forsmo,John-Arne Skolbekken,Volkert Siersma,John Brodersen

doi:10.1080/02813432.2018.1523985

Abstract

Background: Mammography screening may cause psychosocial harm for women experiencing a false-positive screening result. Previous studies suggest long-term consequences. The aim of the present study was to assess psychosocial consequences of false-positive findings on screening mammography within a six month follow-up.Methods: A prospective matched cohort survey study using the questionnaire ‘Consequences of Screening for Breast Cancer’ (COS-BC), which was translated from Danish to Norwegian. Psychometric analyses investigated the measurement properties of the Norwegian version. Two screening clinics in Norway distributed the survey to 299 women with an abnormal mammogram and 541 women with a normal screen. Women received the questionnaire when receiving the screening result, and one and six months after screening.Results: At six months, statistically significant differences appeared in two scales: existential values and breast examination. At six-month follow-up, women with false-positive results showed no statistically significant differences from women diagnosed with breast cancer in three outcomes: sense of dejection, anxiety, and keeping my mind off things.Conclusion: Our results indicate that the psychosocial consequences from having false-positive screening mammography results diminish after six months. The results support previous research describing breast-specific outcomes. However, our results indicate that Norwegian women are less frightened than other Scandinavian mammography screening participants.

Highlights

In cancer screening, some individuals who do not have cancer are subject to follow-up examinations due to an abnormal screening result
In this study we present results from the Norwegian version of the Consequences of Screening for Breast Cancer’ (COS-BC) to examine the psychosocial consequences of a false-positive result in a Norwegian population
COS-BC was sent to 299 women who had an abnormal screening mammography, of which 127 women participated in the first round (99 with false positives and 28 women with breast cancer)

Summary

Introduction

Some individuals who do not have cancer are subject to follow-up examinations due to an abnormal screening result. Several reviews have concluded that short-term adverse psychological consequences of mammography screening are significantly higher for women with false positives than for women who receive normal screening results in the first three months after mammography [1,2]. A more recent Norwegian study found no effect on anxiety but increased depression as long as six months after false positive diagnoses [15]. The aim of the present study was to assess psychosocial consequences of false-positive findings on screening mammography within a six month follow-up. At six-month follow-up, women with false-positive results showed no statistically significant differences from women diagnosed with breast cancer in three outcomes: sense of dejection, anxiety, and keeping my mind off things. Our results indicate that Norwegian women are less frightened than other Scandinavian mammography screening participants

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion