Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33214013›Full record

ArticlePatient education and counseling2021

How patients deal with an ambiguous medical test: Decision-making after genetic testing.

Courtney L Scherr, Sanjana Ramesh, Hannah Getachew-Smith, Kerstin Kalke, Kyra Ramsey, Baruch Fischhoff, Susan T Vadaparampil

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In one paragraph

Article in Patient education and counseling, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Courtney L ScherrDepartment of Communication, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: courtney.scherr@northwestern.edu.
Sanjana RameshDepartment of Communication, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Hannah Getachew-SmithDepartment of Communication, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kerstin KalkeDepartment of Communication, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kyra RamseyDepartment of Communication, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Baruch FischhoffEngineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Susan T VadaparampilHealth Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.

Funding

Communicate and LEarn About youR Variant of Uncertain Significance (CLEAR VUS)R03CA194643 · NCI · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · PI SCHERR, COURTNEY LYNAM · 2016 to 2017
$171k
NCI NIH HHS L30 CA209244NCI NIH HHS R03 CA194643
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWe know little about how patients make decisions when they receive a variant of uncertain significance result (VUS) from genetic testing. The purpose of this study was to elucidate a model of patient-informed decision-making after receiving a VUS result.

methodsUsing an adapted Mental Models Approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with women who received a VUS result from genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer (N = 20) to explore factors they believed were relevant to their decision-making. Two coders used a coding scheme informed by experts in hereditary breast cancer to conduct analysis. Inter-coder reliability was α = .86.

resultsThree overarching decision themes emerged from the interviews: managing ambiguity, medical risk management, and sharing results with others. While participants noted some difficulty understanding their result, genetic counselors' interpretations, psychosocial factors (e.g., risk perceptions), and competing extrinsic demands influenced their decisions.

conclusionComplex influences affect patient decision-making after a VUS result from genetic testing and may encourage health protective behavior. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Even patients who understand their test result could use support managing the ambiguity of their test result and sharing it with others.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsDecision MakingGenetic TestingFemaleGenetic CounselingGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseHumansReproducibility of ResultsDecision-makingGeneticsHereditary breast cancerMental modelsPatient-provider communicationVariant of uncertain significance

Identifiers

PMID33214013
PMCPMC12959046

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.