Follow-up effects of a tailored pre-counseling website with question prompt in breast cancer genetic counseling

• Pre-counseling education providing tailored information and question prompt, might lead to improvements in counselees' experiences with the counseling.
• Additionally, it might lead to perceived personal control 1 year post-counseling.
• Online pre-visit information is a feasible tool to enhance counselees' experiences.

ObjectivePre-counseling education helps counselees to prepare for breast cancer genetic counseling and might subsequently result in more positive experiences, improved cognitive outcomes and more experienced control. This study assessed the effects of a website with tailored information and a blank sheet to fill in questions (question prompt; QP), at 1 week and 1 year post-counseling.MethodsConsecutive counselees were randomized to the usual care group (UC) or the intervention group (UC + website + QP). Counselees completed questionnaires pre- and post-counseling and 1 year follow-up. We conducted multilevel regression analyses corrected for time.ResultsIntervention group counselees (n = 103) were more satisfied about their final visit (β = .35; CI: .06–.65; P = .02; n = 156) than UC group counselees (n = 94). Intervention group counselees also reported more positive experiences with the counseling (β = .32; CI: .06–.59; P = .02; n = 188) and higher perceived personal control 1 year post-counseling (β = .51; CI: .18–.84; P = .002; n = 193). No significant effects were found on recall, knowledge, anxiety, cancer worry, risk perception alignment and adherence to breast surveillance advice.ConclusionThis study shows that pre-counseling education providing tailored information and QP, might lead to improvements in experiences with the counseling and perceived personal control 1 year post-counseling.Practice implicationsOnline pre-visit information is a feasible tool to enhance counselees’ experiences.