A brief assessment of concerns associated with genetic testing for cancer: the Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA) questionnaire

Health Psychol. 2002 Nov;21(6):564-72.

Abstract

The Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA) is a new tool to measure the specific impact of result disclosure after genetic testing. The authors compared its performance with that of questionnaires measuring general and cancer-specific distress. Participants (158 women) responded 1 month after they received genetic test results. The women were divided into 4 standard clinical test result groups: BRCA1/2 positive, BRCA1/2 negative, panel negative, and true negative. Factor analysis supported the formation of 3 subscales: Distress (6 items, alpha = .86), Uncertainty (9 items, alpha = .77), and Positive Experiences (4 items, alpha = .75). All 3 MICRA subscales differentiated participants who were BRCA1/2 positive from the other 3 groups. MICRA thus helps identify subgroups of vulnerable genetic testing participants.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Genes, BRCA1
  • Genes, BRCA2
  • Genetic Testing / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Ontario
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Assessment
  • Stress, Psychological / diagnosis*
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*