title: Depiction of gene-environment relationships in online medical recommendations.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. youyou@uga.edu
authors.forename: Youyou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Condit
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flannery
mesh_terms: 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