Benjamin H. L. Harris, Caitlin McCabe, Hana Shafique, Simon Lammy, Laura Tookman, James Flanagan, Sofia Miron-Barroso, Mark Lythgoe, James Clark, Jason L. Walsh, Matteo Di Giovannantonio, Jonathan Krell
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Genetic testing is becoming rapidly more accessible to the general populous either through or outside healthcare systems. Few large-scale studies have been carried out to gauge public opinion in this growing area. Here, we undertook the largest cross-sectional study on genetic testing in the UK. The primary purpose of this study is to identify the differences in attitudes toward genetic testing across ethnic groups. A cohort of 6500 individuals from a diverse population completed a 72-item survey in a cross-sectional study. Responses between ethnic minority and white individuals in the UK were compared using a wilcoxon rank-sum and chi-square tests. The white cohort was approximately twice as likely to have taken a genetic test and 13% more had heard about genetic testing before the survey. The ethnic minority cohort appeared more apprehensive about the impact of genetic testing on employability. This study highlights that in the UK, significant differences in opinions regarding genetic testing exist between white individuals and ethnic minority individuals. There is an urgent need to develop more inclusive strategies to equally inform individuals from all backgrounds to avoid disparities in the utilisation of genetic testing.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Human Genetics is an international journal publishing articles on human genetics, including medical genetics and human genome analysis. It covers all aspects of human genetics, including molecular genetics, clinical genetics, behavioral genetics, immunogenetics, pharmacogenomics, population genetics, functional genomics, epigenetics, genetic counseling and gene therapy.
Articles on the following areas are especially welcome: genetic factors of monogenic and complex disorders, genome-wide association studies, genetic epidemiology, cancer genetics, personal genomics, genotype-phenotype relationships and genome diversity.