Abstract for presentation at 11th International Congress of Human Genetics

Training of health professionals and community agents for the identification of patients at risk for hereditary breast cancer in southern Brazil

  • Dr Cristina Netto, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Edenir Palmero, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
  • Luciane Kalakun, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Dr Maira Caleffi, Moinhos de Vento Hospital, Brazil
  • Dr Lavínia Schüler-Faccini, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
  • Roberto Giugliani, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Dr Patricia Ashton-Prolla, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    • The aim of this ongoing study was to evaluate the efficiency of direct training about knowledge towards breast cancer (BC) and hereditary breast cancer (HBC) of health professionals and community agents for the identification and characterization of patients at risk for BC and HBC in a sample from Rio Grande do Sul, south of Brazil. Evaluation of previous knowledge was realized through a questionnaire followed by training with a nurse, a breast physician and a geneticist, as well a post-test. The questionnaire was answered by 42 health professionals (nurses and physicians) prior and after training. Additionally, in another group of 28 health agents (members of the community where the project is run) a similar test was applied. In the first (professional) group, median of correct answers about BC was 79,56% in the pre-test and 85,56% in post-test; as for HBC values were 76,85% and 85,5%, respectively (both differences were not significant, chi-square tests with P’s > 0.05). Medians of correct answers about BC in health agents group were 69,2% and 88,75%, in pre and post tests; and for HBC medians were 75,7% and 92,1%, respectively (significant differences between pre- and post-tests, both P’s < 0.05). These preliminary data indicate that health professionals have good basal knowledge (pre-test) about BC and HBC and that the training did not significantly change that knowledge. However, training seems to have improved knowledge in the health agents group, with an overall increase of 16,25%. These results show that training to those who are community members and are closer to the patients and relatives should be reinforced.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd