1. ¹Academic Department of Radiotherapy, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK
2. ²Department of Psychological Medicine, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK
3. ³Department of Computing and Information, The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, and Institute of Cancer Research, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK
4. ⁴Department of Psycho-Oncology, The Christie Hospital, Manchester M20 4XB, UK
5. ⁵Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit, Institute of Cancer Research Brookes Lawley Building, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, UK
6. ⁶Translational Cancer Genetics Team, Institute of Cancer Research & Cancer Genetics Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK

Correspondence: C Moynihan, E-mail: clare.moynihan@icr.ac.uk

Received 19 October 2005; Accepted 12 December 2005; Published online 24 January 2006.

Abstract

This study examined factors that predict psychological morbidity and screening adherence in first-degree relatives (FDRs) taking part in a familial PSA screening study. Prostate cancer patients (index cases – ICs) who gave consent for their FDRs to be contacted for a familial PSA screening study to contact their FDRs were also asked permission to invite these FDRs into a linked psychosocial study. Participants were assessed on measures of psychological morbidity (including the General Health Questionnaire; Cancer Worry Scale; Health Anxiety Questionnaire; Impact of Events Scale); and perceived benefits and barriers, knowledge; perceived risk/susceptibility; family history; and socio-demographics. Of 255 ICs, 155 (61%) consented to their FDRs being contacted. Of 207 FDRs approached, 128 (62%) consented and completed questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that health anxiety, perceived risk and subjective stress predicted higher cancer worry (P=0.05). Measures of psychological morbidity did not predict screening adherence. Only past screening behaviour reliably predicted adherence to familial screening (P=0.05). First-degree relatives entering the linked familial PSA screening programme do not, in general, have high levels of psychological morbidity. However, a small number of men exhibited psychological distress.