Abstract National guidelines recommend genetic counseling and testing (GCT) referral for women at increased risk for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC). Although awareness of genetic risk can guide prevention and treatment, Latinas show low awareness and GCT uptake. Despite the expanded access offered by telephone genetic counseling, testing rates remain lower than with in-person counseling, particularly among minoritized groups. Little is known about barriers to completing at-home saliva testing and accessing risk-management follow-up care for those who test positive. This study extends the CONTIGO study (Phase 1), which aimed to increase awareness of HBOC risk and uptake of GCT among Latina women. In Phase 2, we explored barriers and facilitators to completing genetic testing and risk management follow-up care among Latina women who previously received telephone genetic counseling. From those eligible, every third participant was selected for screening and invited to participate. This study involved a semi-structured interview to explore barriers and facilitators to GCT and follow-up care and the completion of a 5-point Likert scale to assess satisfaction with their decision to pursue testing. Data were analyzed using Rapid Qualitative Analysis. Among 21 participants, 11 (52%) completed genetic testing. All participants were of Latin American origin, with an average age of 41 (SD=8.57); 81% were uninsured. Those who underwent genetic testing reported high satisfaction with their decision (M=5, SD=0; scale 1-5), while those who did not undergo testing reported lower satisfaction and more barriers to testing (M=2.4; SD=1.13). Barriers to testing included concerns about life insurance eligibility, health insurance, administrative burdens (e.g., forms, insurance, mailing), family discouragement, and competing priorities. Facilitators included access to clear and culturally relevant information, a desire to protect family members, knowledge of family cancer history, and motivation to prevent cancer. Among those who completed testing (n=11), five (45%) received a positive result and follow-up recommendations (e.g., increased screenings, preventive surgery). Similar barriers emerged in accessing follow-up care, including language barriers, difficulty understanding the implications of test results, and high treatment costs. However, participants expressed satisfaction with the support of community-based organizations (CBOs) in their care navigation. This study highlights the need to address the barriers that Latina women at risk for HBOC face in accessing GCT and follow-up care. Findings underscore the importance of culturally tailored support and interventions that reduce obstacles to care. Future research should examine the development, implementation, and scalability of culturally tailored interventions such as peer navigation, digital tools, and workshops, along with toolkits co-developed with community-based organizations (CBOs), to support informed decision-making and enhance the uptake of GCT and risk management follow-up in this population. Citation Format: Valeria Gómez, Dariana Sedeño-Delgado, Clara B. Barajas, Karina Knizek, Daniela Grados-Rojas, Kristi Graves, Marc Schwartz, Beth Peshkin, Chiranjeev Dash, Vanessa Sheppard, Paula Cupertino, Pilar Carrera, Geoffrey Curran, Brenda Roig, Nathaly Garces Lenis, Mary Mills, Nancy Valencia-Rojas, Gina Hernandez, Kennya Alvarado, Andrea Bedregal, Abraham Aragones, Alejandra Hurtado de Mendoza. Understanding gaps in genetic testing uptake and risk management follow-up care in Latina women at risk for HBOC abstract. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B076.
Gómez et al. (Thu,) studied this question.