Attitudes of the broader hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing community toward genetic testing for deafness.
OBJECTIVE
To assess attitudes in a nonmedically and nonculturally influenced setting of reproductive-age adults toward genetic testing for deafness in newborns.


METHODS
Hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing individuals at a university completed questionnaires assessing attitudes toward genetic testing.


RESULTS
Eighty-five percent of hearing (n = 133) and 62% of deaf/hard-of-hearing (n = 89) individuals would allow genetic testing for deafness in their own newborn.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate an acceptance of newborn genetic testing for deafness by individuals in the broader community, regardless of hearing status.
Martinez
Ariadna
A
Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA.
Linden
Joyce
J
Schimmenti
Lisa A
LA
Palmer
Christina G S
CG
D000328:Adult; D003638:Deafness / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*