Table 4.

Quotations on facilitators and information needs to communicating risk.

Facilitators	Sample quotations
Desire for personalization	Patient
	I wouldn’t blindly follow a doctor’s recommendations if it’s a general recommendation. I want it to be individualized.
	The doctors are reading off of a script. They recommend the same thing for all of us. […] It doesn’t seem personal at all.
	Provider
	The other point is again what you’re discussing is a real public health issue on both sides. Women who do not need mammograms are getting mammograms and women who need genetic testing are not getting that. This is a process of education and it’s a long process in that area. The investment has to be done in the high school, PTA, and make mothers and students alike aware that it’s very important.
Autonomy	Patient
	Shouldn’t they do it for whoever wants to have it done?
	But unfortunately we all need to be very proactive and never accept no for an answer.
	I would consult not just my doctor but I would also consult some other medical type groups to see what I could do.
	We all have to remain clear on what we want. How is it that we learn what we want? If you don’t know what breast cancer is, then how do you go to a doctor and say I’d like to get checked for breast cancer.
	Provider
	I think this patient population really wants to learn and be involved. I’ve worked with other patient populations where they want my opinion less and they know or they think they know the right answer and that was frustrating. I really think this patient population wants to have these discussions.
Information Needs	Sample quotations
	Patient
	I think it’s important that you have more places to ask questions about breast cancer, even if that person might not be my doctor. It might be a site, a nurse.
	I am more informed so I can have a better discussion and I can understand his responses better. I know more terms. I don’t know if it will get me to talk about it with my doctor but I will feel more comfortable.
	You know, you don’t want to walk away and not knowing.
	Half the time when we are at the doctors, we want to ask ten thousand questions, we forget what to ask.
	Provider
	Facilitator: Yeah so it would be like those 20 minute talks but more relevant to the primary care providers on how to assess risk and who should get genetic testing and that type of thing. So if we made this a requirement to take this course online, do you think that would be helpful? Absolutely. Yeah and I would definitely be interested.