Do women who undergo further investigation for breast screening suffer adverse psychological consequences? A multi-centre follow-up study comparing different breast screening result groups five months after their last breast screening appointment

Background In 1995-1996 about 53 500 women aged 50-64 attending for routine breast screening were called back for further investigation after an initial mammogram. Even when women were found to be clear after further investigation, significant adverse psychological consequences (PCs) can remain one month later. This follow-up study investigates whether residual emotional effects persisted five months after women received a clear result. Methods Women who had previously completed a questionnaire one month after their last breast screening appointment, at which they had a clear result, were invited to complete a further postal questionnaire four months later (five months after their last appointment). We compare women who received a clear result after assessment without fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), after assessment with FNAC, after a benign biopsy, and those who had been placed on early recall, with those who received a clear result after mammography (reference group). Results The response rate was 76 per cent (215/284). All groups of women who went on for further investigation suffered significantly greater adverse psychological consequences (PCs) at five months than women who were given a clear result after mammography. Compared with 10 per cent (5/52) of women who received a clear result after a basic mammogram, adverse, psychological consequences were experienced by 59 per cent (27/46, p < 0.00001) of the women who were placed on six month early recall, 61 per cent(14/23, p < 0.0001) of women who had benign surgical biopsy, 44 per cent (18/41, p < 0.0001) of women who received a clear result after assessment (with FNAC), and 45 per cent (23/51, p < 0.0001) of women who received a clear result after assessment (without FNAC). Whereas all groups who had gone on for further investigations had experienced a significant decrease in PCs between one month and five months, those who were placed on six month early recall showed no significant difference in PCs between these two time periods. Other factors relating to adverse experiences as a result of breast screening are reported. Conclusion Despite receiving a clear final result, women who undergo further investigation suffer significantly greater adverse psychological consequences five months after their last screening appointment than women who receive a clear result after mammography.