Attitudes and misconceptions about predictive genetic testing for cancer risk.
OBJECTIVE
To describe awareness, knowledge, and attitudes about genetic testing for cancer risk among the general public.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight adults participated in focus groups in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Participants' beliefs about what genetic testing is ranged from 'dianetics' to an accurate description of DNA analysis. Themes included misconceptions about genetic tests, the ability to gain control of one's life through genetic testing, anxiety that might be caused by testing, risk of insurance and employment discrimination, use of genetic information for racial or ethnic discrimination, concerns about medical information confidentiality and lack of informed consent.


CONCLUSIONS
Although there was some accurate understanding of what genetic testing is and how the results could be used, there also exist significant misconceptions. In many cases, misconceptions may be barriers to uptake of genetic testing. Dispelling these misconceptions is an important step in the translation of advances in human genomics into improvements in health.
Rose
Abigail L
AL
Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Peters
Nikki
N
Shea
Judy A
JA
Armstrong
Katrina
K
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D044469:Racial Groups; D018570:Risk Assessment