title: Respiratory physicians and clinic coordinators' attitudes to population-based cystic fibrosis carrier screening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attitudes of Australian CF healthcare professionals toward population-based cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A purpose-designed questionnaire was distributed to 111 respiratory physicians and 30 CF clinic coordinators throughout Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-one questionnaires (52 physicians and 19 coordinators (46.8%, 63.3% respectively)) were returned. Forty respondents (56.3%) supported population-based carrier screening for CF. Support for screening was associated with rating the factors: carrier risk being 1 in 25 (OR 1.72 (1.12, 2.65)), reassurance when both partners test negative (OR 1.67 (1.12, 2.46)) and the daily treatment regimen for CF patients (OR 1.59 (1.05, 2.42)) as important. Opposition to screening was associated with identifying potential discrimination against carriers as a disadvantage (OR 0.3 (0.12, 0.88)), and limitations of predicting clinical outcomes as a barrier (OR 0.46 (0.25, 0.83)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is moderate support for population-based carrier screening for CF by Australian CF healthcare professionals. Perceived barriers to implementation are surmountable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Genetic Health Services Victoria, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Curnow
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glazner
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3052, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, 3052, Australia; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, 3052, Australia. Electronic address: john.massie@rch.org.au.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Massie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attitudes; Carrier screening; Cystic fibrosis carrier screening; Genetic screening; Population screening