Establishment of psychosocial risk communication for cancer genetic risk information

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K17689
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical sociology; Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Kohbata Hiroko 東京医科歯科大学, 統合研究機構, 助教 (90762542)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: リスクコミュニケーション / 病気認知

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using focus-group interviews, the differences of illness recognition between breast cancer and hereditary breast cancer was found among young women. Interview survey with certified genetic counselors revealed attitudes toward hereditary breast cancer among non-affected young women. In addition, in order to objectively evaluate illness perception, the Japanese version of IPQ-RH (the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for healthy people) scale was developed and its reliability and validity were verified.
Furthermore, expert meetings were held to consider how to implement effective education for hereditary breast cancer to young women and the place/opportunity, contents and frequency of the education were decided.

Free Research Field

遺伝カウンセリング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

癌未発症の若年女性における乳癌、遺伝性乳癌の疾患認識を明らかにすることで、効果的な癌教育を行うための知見を得ることができた。また、本研究で開発した疾患認識尺度の日本語版はあらゆる疾患に適用することができ、社会一般・健常者集団における疾患認識を客観的に評価することを可能にした。
また、本研究により、遺伝性腫瘍領域を扱う遺伝カウンセラーのネットワークが構築されたこと本研究の成果の一つであり、教育の発展・拡大の基盤となりうる。