CBSSM Seminar: Kirsten McCaffery, BSc (Hons), PhD

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Thu, November 05, 2015, 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: 
NCRC, South Atrium, Building 10

This seminar features Kirsten McCaffery, BSc (Hons), PhD; Professorial Research Fellow, School of Public Health; Sydney Medical School; NHMRC Career Development Fellow' Deputy Director, Public Health Section, Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence based Decision Making (CeMPED)

Title: Communicating overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening: a randomised trial of a decision aid among women approaching target screening age.

Abstract: Mammography screening can reduce breast cancer mortality. However, most women are unaware that
inconsequential disease can also be detected by screening, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. We aimed to investigate whether including information about overdiagnosis of breast cancer in a decision aid would help women aged around 50 years to make an informed choice about breast screening. Women (n=879) aged 48-50 were randomised to 1 of 2 decision aids. Both booklets presented evidence based information on key screening outcomes (breast cancer mortality benefit and false positives); 1 booklet also included overdiagnosis information. Study outcomes included informed choice (knowledge, attitudes and intentions) decisional conflict, anxiety, worry, anticipated regret and acceptability of the decision aid. Implications for the effective communication of overdiagnosis in screening and the development of optimal strategies for future information delivery will be discussed.