TITLE:
Development of an instrument to identify symptoms potentially indicative of ovarian cancer in a primary care clinic setting
AUTHORS:
M. Robyn Andersen, Barbara A. Goff, Kimberly A. Lowe
KEYWORDS:
Ovarian Cancer; Symptoms
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.2 No.3,
September
7,
2012
ABSTRACT: Background: Several recently published studies suggest that screening for symptoms could improve the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. This report describes the development of a simple and reliable method of collecting symptom information in a primary care clinic. Methods: 1200 women, ages 40 - 87, completed several versions of a draft symptom index (SI) assessment form during their visits to a primary care clinic. Factors associated with a positive SI result were examined. Providers were surveyed about acceptability of the symptom screening procedures. Findings: Variation in the instructions provided to women influenced the rate at which women indicated having symptoms indicative of a positive SI, 5% had positive results when written instructions emphasized listing only current symptoms. Women coming to the clinic because of a current medical concern or problem did have higher rates of positive SI results, as did non-white women (p