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. 2024 Oct 14;10(1):90.
doi: 10.1038/s41523-024-00681-z.

Validation study of risk-reduction activities after personalized breast cancer education tool in the WISDOM study

Tianyi Wang  1   2 , Mandy Che  1   3 , Yash S Huilgol  4 , Holly Keane  5 , Deborah Goodman  6 , Rashna Soonavala  7 , Elissa Ozanne  8 , Yiwey Shieh  9 , Jeffrey K Belkora  4 , Allison Stover Fiscalini  1 ; Athena Breast Health Network Investigators and Advocate Partners; Laura J Esserman  10
Collaborators, Affiliations

Validation study of risk-reduction activities after personalized breast cancer education tool in the WISDOM study

Tianyi Wang et al. NPJ Breast Cancer. .

Abstract

Breast cancer risk reduction strategies have been well-validated, but barriers remain for high-risk individuals to adopt them. We performed a study among participants with high risk of breast cancer to validate whether a virtual breast health decision tool impacted a participant's willingness to start risk-reducing activities, identify barriers to adopting these strategies, and understand if it affects breast cancer anxiety. The study sample was 318 participants in the personalized (investigational) arm of the Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk (WISDOM) clinical trial. After reviewing the tool, these participants completed a feedback survey. We demonstrated that 15 (4.7%) women were taking endocrine risk reduction, 123 (38.7%) were reducing alcohol intake, and 199 (62.6%) were exercising. In the three-month follow-up survey of 109 respondents, only 8 of 61 (13.1%) women who considered endocrine risk reduction pursued it. In contrast, 11 of 16 (68%) participants who considered alcohol reduction pursued the activity, and 14 of 24 (58%) women who considered exercise followed through. Participants listed fear of side effects as the most common barrier to endocrine risk reduction. We also present further steps to be taken to improve the effectiveness of the Breast Health Decisions tool.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Feedback survey of individuals using and considering endocrine risk reduction.
Bar graph of individuals taking endocrine risk reduction (left) and those considering endocrine risk reduction, as answered on the feedback survey. Data were subset into high and highest-risk participants and presented as percentages out of total N in the risk group.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Breast Health Decisions tool page examples.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Feedback survey breast cancer anxiety.
Bar graph about whether the Breast Health Decisions tool eased breast cancer anxiety, as answered on the feedback survey. Responses were presented on a Likert Scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree). Data were subset into high and highest-risk participants and presented as percentages out of total N in the risk group.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Three-month follow-up survey, frequency of breast cancer worry.
Bar graph of the frequency of breast cancer worry, as answered on the 3-month follow-up survey. Responses were obtained through Likert Scale (often, sometimes, not at all). Data were subset into high- and highest-risk participants and presented as percentages out of the total N in the risk group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Update of

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