Depiction of gene-environment relationships in online medical recommendations.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the presentation of genetic and behavioral causation and prevention in websites that make medical recommendations to lay people for four diseases: heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer, and depression.


METHODS
A sample of 73 online medical recommendations from major health institutions and information portals were retrieved for content analysis, with a focus on the depiction of gene-environment relationships.


RESULTS
The results show a clear preponderance of behavioral causation and recommendations. When genetic information is presented, genetic and environmental factors (including behaviors) are depicted as independent contributors to health outcomes, rather than as interactive.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that interactive depictions of genes and behavior should be considered when genetics is presented in medical accounts of causation and prevention of common, complex diseases.
Cheng
Youyou
Y
Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. youyou@uga.edu
Condit
Celeste
C
Flannery
David
D
D001290:Attitude; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006266:Health Education; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results