Psychological Distress in U.S. Women Who Have Experienced False-Positive Mammograms

Background In the United States, approximately 10.7% of all screening mammograms lead to a false-positive result, but the overall impact of false-positives on psychological well-being is poorly understood.Materials and methods Data were analyzed from the 2000 U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the most recent national survey that included a cancer control module. Study subjects were 9,755 women who ever had a mammogram, of which 1,450 had experienced a false-positive result. Psychological distress was assessed using the validated K6 questionnaire and logistic regression was used to discern any association with previous false-positive mammograms.Results In a multivariate analysis, women who had indicated a previous false-positive mammogram were more likely to report feeling sad (OR = 1.18, 95% CI, 1.03–1.35), restless (OR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.08–1.40), worthless (OR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.04–1.54), and finding that everything was an effort (OR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.10–1.47). These women were also more likely to have seen a mental health professional in the 12 months preceding the survey (OR = 1.28, 95% CI, 1.03–1.58) and had a higher composite score on all items of the K6 scale (P < 0.0001), a reflection of increased psychological distress. Analyses by age and race revealed that, among women who had experienced false-positives, younger women were more likely to feel that everything was an effort, and blacks were more likely to feel restless.Conclusion In a random sampling of the U.S. population, women who had previously experienced false-positive mammograms were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression.The opinions and assertions contained in this article represent the private views of the authors and should not be construed as reflecting the official views of the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, or Defense, or the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or the Department of Health and Human Services