Lynne Omar

Publications (2)2.91 Total impact

• Article: Promoting early presentation of breast cancer by older women: a preliminary evaluation of a one-to-one health professional-delivered intervention.

  Caroline C Burgess, Louise Linsell, Marcia Kapari, Lynne Omar, Michael Michell, Patsy Whelehan, Michael A Richards, Amanda J Ramirez
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  ABSTRACT: To test the early effects of a novel one-to-one health professional-delivered intervention designed to increase awareness and thereby promote early presentation of breast cancer among older women. Women attending their final routine appointment in the English NHS Breast Screening Programme received a booklet or a booklet supplemented by a brief interview, in addition to usual care. This was a within-group before-and-after evaluation of the two versions of the intervention. The primary outcome was change in the knowledge of breast cancer symptoms from baseline to 1 month postintervention. Secondary outcomes were knowledge of risk of developing breast cancer, confidence to detect a breast change, and likelihood of disclosure to someone close. Levels of cancer worry and any adverse effects caused by the intervention were also monitored. One hundred seventy-six women received the booklet and 116 received the booklet-plus-interview. At 1-month postintervention, the mean number of breast cancer symptoms identified (out of 11) increased from 5.3 by 1 symptom (P<.001) in the booklet group and by 1.9 (P<.001) in the booklet-plus-interview group. Improvements were sustained at 6 months. Positive improvements were made in the knowledge of risk of developing breast cancer and the confidence to detect a breast change in both groups; however, neither version of the intervention had an impact on encouraging women to disclose to someone close immediately on discovery of a breast symptom. No adverse effects were reported, and there was no significant increase in the level of cancer worry. Both versions of the intervention are worthy of testing in randomized trials to assess the impact on breast cancer awareness and ultimately on delayed presentation of breast cancer and mortality.
  Journal of psychosomatic research 11/2009; 67(5):377-87. · 2.91 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: nature.com

  Article: A randomised controlled trial of an intervention to promote early presentation of breast cancer in older women: effect on breast cancer awareness

  Louise Linsell, Lindsay J L Forbes, Marcia Kapari, Caroline Burgess, Lynne Omar, Lorraine Tucker, Amanda J Ramirez
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  ABSTRACT: There is virtually no evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to promote early presentation in breast cancer. We tested the efficacy of an intervention to equip older women with the knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to detect symptoms and seek help promptly, with the aim of promoting early presentation with breast cancer symptoms. We randomised 867 women aged 67 to 70 attending for their final routine appointment on the UK NHS Breast Screening Programme to receive: a scripted ten-minute interaction with a radiographer plus a booklet; a booklet alone; or usual care. The primary outcome was whether or not a woman was breast cancer aware based on knowledge of breast cancer symptoms and age-related risk; and reported breast checking. At one month, the intervention increased the proportion who were breast cancer aware compared with usual care (interaction arm: 32.8% versus 4.1%; odds ratio 24.0, 95% confidence interval 7.7 to 73.7; booklet arm: 12.7% versus 4.1%; odds ratio 4.4, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 12.0). At one year, the effects of the interaction plus booklet, and the booklet, on breast cancer awareness were largely sustained, although the interaction plus booklet remained much more effective. Future research will evaluate whether the intervention promotes early presentation and reduces breast cancer mortality.
  Nature Precedings.