title: Use of genetic tests among neurologists and psychiatrists: knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and needs for training.
abstract: This study explores neurologists' and psychiatrists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning genetic tests. Psychiatrists (n = 5,316) and neurologists (n = 2,167) on the American Medical Association master list who had agreed to receive surveys were sent an email link to a survey about their attitudes and practices regarding genetic testing; 372 psychiatrists and 163 neurologists responded. A higher proportion of neurologists (74%) than psychiatrists (14%) who responded to the survey had ordered genetic testing in the past 6 months. Overall, most respondents thought that genetic tests should be performed more frequently, but almost half believed genetic tests could harm patients psychologically and considered legal protections inadequate. Almost half of neurologists (49%) and over 75% of psychiatrists did not have a genetics professional to whom to refer patients; those who had ordered genetic tests were more likely than those who did not do so to have access to a genetic counselor. Of respondents, 10% had received patient requests not to document genetic information and 15% had received inquiries about direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Neurologists reported themselves to be relatively more experienced and knowledgeable about genetics than psychiatrists. These data, the first to examine several important issues concerning knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of neurologists and psychiatrists regarding genetic tests, have important implications for future practice, research, and education.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salm
authors.forename: Kristopher
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abbate
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ottman
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marder
authors.forename: Cheng-Shiun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Leu
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alcalay
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Alexander Malik
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leech
authors.forename: Katherine Johansen
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Taber
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klitzman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D000078329:Workforce