title: Would you want to know? Public attitudes on early diagnostic testing for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research is underway to develop an early medical test for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate potential demand for such a test, we conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey of 2,678 randomly selected adults across the United States and four European countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most surveyed adults (67%) reported that they are "somewhat" or "very likely" to get an early medical test if one becomes available in the future. Interest was higher among those worried about developing AD, those with an immediate blood relative with AD, and those who have served as caregivers for AD patients. Older respondents and those living in Spain and Poland also exhibited greater interest in testing. Knowing AD is a fatal condition did not influence demand for testing, except among those with an immediate blood relative with the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Potential demand for early medical testing for AD could be high. A predictive test could not only advance medical research, it could transform political and legal landscapes by creating a large constituency of asymptomatic, diagnosed adults.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 14 Story Street, 4th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wikler
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building, Room 402, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Blendon
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building, Room 402, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Benson
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; medical decision-making; medical testing; preclinical; predictive testing; public attitudes