Nurse or physician: whose recommendation influences the decision to take genetic tests more?
OBJECTIVE
This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore factors influencing the decision to take genetic carrier testing.


BACKGROUND
Genetic testing has become a popular means of elucidating the risk of giving birth to a sick/disabled child but what influences prospective parents to take genetic tests or not is unclear.


METHODS
The study was based on a factorial 2 x 2 x 2 within-between subjects design. The questionnaire presented four scenarios, each illustrating a healthcare worker presenting information on a devastating genetic disease. The variables manipulated were: the health care worker's expertise (novice vs. expert), the recommender's role (nurse vs. physician) and type of recommendation (recommendation vs. no recommendation). After each scenario participants were asked their own intention to take the test and their intention to recommend a friend to take the test. Data were collected in 2007.


RESULTS
Altogether 156 questionnaires were collected. Expert nurses and expert physicians were accorded the same level of compliance. However, a novice physician's recommendation to take a genetic test was complied with as much as an expert physician's, whereas a novice nurse's recommendation was less accepted than that of an expert nurse. When no recommendation was made, more compliance with the nurse was found (i.e. less intention to take the test).


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic information should be presented to the public with caution to avoid over-testing. For the public to accept a nurse's recommendation, the nurse has to be perceived as an expert; therefore, expert nurses' proficiency should be made clear.
Barnoy
Sivia
S
Nursing Department, School of Health Professions, Tel Aviv University, Israel. sivia@post.tau.ac.il
Levy
Ofra
O
Bar-Tal
Yoram
Y
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening / Q000379:methods; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations