Deciding about the unknown: perceptions of risk of women who have prenatal diagnosis

A Kolker1, B M Burke

  • 1Department of Sociology & Anthropology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Women & Health
|January 1, 1993
PubMed

This paper examines the risk perceptions of women who undergo two prenatal diagnostic procedures, amniocentesis and CVS (chorionic villus sampling). Data were collected from a survey of clinic patients in suburban Washington, D.C. and in San Diego (N = 120). The survey was supplemented by in-depth interviews with prenatal diagnosis users and genetic counselors. Women with more education, as well as those who had CVS rather than amniocentesis, were more likely to view their risk as low. This contradicts the accepted view that users are aware of the higher risks of CVS. Rather, it seems that risk perceptions are socially constructed to achieve cognitive consistency with the action undertaken. Qualitative data suggest that perceptions of risk appear to be influenced not only by the users' demographic characteristics but by the salience and severity of the event in question and by the user's perceived control over it.

Related Concept Videos

Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies02:09

Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies

When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis II01:25

Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis II

Nursing diagnoses represent a problem validated by major defining characteristics. There are four categories of nursing diagnoses: problem-focused, risk, health promotion or wellness, and syndrome. The anatomy of a nursing diagnosis includes three components: problem statement or diagnostic label, defining characteristics, and related factors.
Risk nursing diagnoses represent clinical judgments of an individual, family, or community more vulnerable to developing the health problem than others...
Documentation of Nursing Diagnosis01:10

Documentation of Nursing Diagnosis

The nurse documents nursing diagnoses and enters them into the patient record. The identified patient's nursing diagnosis is either written out with a plan of care or entered into the electronic health record.
In some settings, data-driven computerized decision support systems are in place, allowing for more accurate nursing diagnoses. The database within one of these systems includes diagnostic labels defining characteristics, activities, and indicators for nursing. A nurse enters assessment...
Decision Making: P-value Method01:09

Decision Making: P-value Method

The process of hypothesis testing based on the P-value method includes calculating the P- value using the sample data and interpreting it.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim  is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses:  a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can have a...
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches01:23

Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches

Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
Mitral Valve Prolapse III: Nursing Management01:19

Mitral Valve Prolapse III: Nursing Management

The nursing management of Mitral Valve Prolapse, or MVP, centers around patient education, symptom monitoring, and lifestyle modifications.Patient Education on MVP Diagnosis and Heredity: Nurses should provide comprehensive education about MVP, a condition where the mitral valve does not close appropriately during heartbeats. This education often includes the condition's pathophysiology, symptoms, and potential complications, like arrhythmias or mitral regurgitation. Though not fully...