Adolescent medical providers' willingness to recommend genetic susceptibility testing for nicotine addiction and lung cancer risk to adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influences of disease, lifestyle, and other factors on adolescent medical providers' willingness to recommend genetic susceptibility testing (GST).


METHODS
Providers attending a national conference completed a self-report survey (n = 232) about their willingness to recommend hypothetical GSTs, differentiated by disease (nicotine addiction/lung cancer), patient lifestyle (nonsmoker/smoker), and other contextual factors.


RESULTS
Compared to recommending GST unconditionally, providers were more willing to recommend GST with parental/patient consent/assent, and in the presence of a preexisting illness and substance abuse history. Compared to offering nicotine addiction GST to a nonsmoker, providers were more willing to offer this type of testing to a smoker and were more willing to offer GST for lung cancer regardless of patient lifestyle.


CONCLUSIONS
Providers' willingness to recommend GSTs is sensitive to many factors. Efforts to integrate GST into adolescent preventive care likely will need to address these and other influences on provider behavior.
O'Neill
Suzanne C
SC
Cancer Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington DC 20007, USA. sco4@georgetown.edu
Luta
George
G
Peshkin
Beth N
BN
Abraham
Anisha
A
Walker
Leslie R
LR
Tercyak
Kenneth P
KP
D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008019:Life Style; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D033282:Parental Consent; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control