title: Patients' Attitudes Towards Disclosure of Genetic Test Results to Family Members: The Impact of Patients' Sociodemographic Background and Counseling Experience.
abstract: Many factors predict the intention to disclose genetic information to relatives. The article examines the impact of patients' socio-demographic factors on their intention to disclose genetic testing results to their relatives. Data were collected in eight genetic clinics in Israel. Patients were requested to fill in a questionnaire after counseling. A convenience sample of 564 participants who visited these clinics was collected for a response rate of 85 %. Of them, 282 participants came for susceptibility testing for hereditary cancers (cancer group), and 282 for genetic screening tests (prenatal group). In the cancer group, being secular and having more years of education correlated positively with the intention to disclose test results to relatives. In the prenatal group, being married and female correlated positively with the intention to disclose. In the cancer group, being religious and with less years of education correlated positively with the view that the clinician should deliver the results to the family. In the prenatal group, being male and unmarried correlated positively with this belief. In both groups, being of young age correlated with the perception that genetic information is private. Varied sociodemographic factors affect the intention to inform family members. Thus, knowing the social background of patients will shed light on people's attitudes to genetic information and will help clinicians provide effective counseling in discussions with patients about the implications of test results for relatives.
authors.affiliation: School of Law, Netanya Academic College, 1 University Street, Netanya, 4223587, Israel. roygilbar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilbar
authors.affiliation: The Genetic Institute, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors.forename: Stavit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics A, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Isarel.
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.affiliation: The Danek Gertner Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Elon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pras
authors.affiliation: The Danek Gertner Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berkenstadt
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics & Metabolic Diseases, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagi
authors.affiliation: Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Yehuda
authors.affiliation: Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Pnina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.affiliation: Psycho-Oncology Unit, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus, Petah-Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Western Galilee Hospital, Naharia, Israel.
authors.forename: Tzipora Falik
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Zaccai
authors.affiliation: The Simon Winter Institute for Human Genetics, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Borochowitz
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sivia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnoy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D030661:Genetic Privacy / Q000523:psychology*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009386:Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; C492913:BRCA1 protein, human; D024682:BRCA2 Protein; C551750:BRCA2 protein, human
keywords: Disclosure; Family; Genetic information; Israel; Relatives