title: Public awareness and use of direct-to-consumer personal genomic tests from four state population-based surveys, and implications for clinical and public health practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Direct-to-consumer personal genomic tests are widely available, but population-based data are limited on awareness and use of these tests among the general public in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed awareness and use of direct-to-consumer personal genomic tests in Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah using the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and compared the state results to the 2008 national HealthStyles survey results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Awareness was the highest in Oregon (29.1%) and the lowest in Michigan (15.8%). Factors associated with awareness across all states and nationally were higher education, higher income, and increasing age, except among those 75 years or older. Less than 1% of respondents had used the tests, with about one-half to three-quarters of those sharing the results with a health-care provider.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic tests is greater in this study as compared with a related study conducted in 2006, whereas use is similarly low in both studies. The few respondents who reported using the tests often reported sharing their results with their health-care provider, indicating an important opportunity for health-care providers to offer patient education regarding these tests. Public health agencies have important roles in surveillance, education, and policy development on direct-to-consumer genomic tests.
authors: Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. kkolor@cdc.gov
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Kolor
authors: Debra
authors: D
authors: Duquette
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Zlot
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Foland
authors: Beth
authors: B
authors: Anderson
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Giles
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Wrathall
authors: Muin J
authors: MJ
authors: Khoury
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States