"You're armed, I think you're better armed": Women's opinions of genetic counselling and testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility (BRCA1)
Date
2000
Authors
Holmes, Christina Patrice
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Opinions of those who went through genetic counselling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk were sought on genetic counselling and genetic testing for BRCA1. The majority of those interviewed were happy with the genetic counselling received and had generally positive attitudes towards genetic testing for BRCA1. Information gained was considered important and provided a sense of control and avenues for further action. Family experience with cancer also appeared important in how individual women perceived their risk. Correspondingly, biomedical knowledge provided by genetic counselling and testing was mediated by and combined with personal experiences to create an embodied knowledge of risk.