A concept model for individual surveillance in genetic cancer care

To present the concept of individual surveillance in genetic risk management as a complex collection of other concepts, and to propose a model that represents how these component concepts may relate to each other.

The concept of "individual surveillance" has a set of lexical conditions, called critical attributes, antecedents, and consequence. The attributes are derived from the historical and contemporary use of the word and must be present for conceptualization. Antecedents are conditions that must exist before individual surveillance can occur, and consequences are those events that will always occur after individual surveillance. The popular association of surveillance with real or suspected criminal activity may design a predilection for critical attributes and confuse concept attainment. Before involving patients and family members in surveillance activities, clinicians should explore the subjective meaning of participation.

The model can be used, by a clinician and a patient, to describe and understand the meaning of individual surveillance for participants in a systematic, holistic, and highly personal way.