title: Parents' Understanding of Genetics and Heritability.
abstract: Parents have the opportunity to educate their children to facilitate behaviours and lifestyle habits that may prevent or delay genetic disease, or mitigate predispositions within the family. We sought to determine parents' understanding of genetic knowledge and heritability. Using a quantitative survey methodology 108 volunteer participants were surveyed from a convenience sample of all parents/caregivers within the waiting room of a general children's outpatient clinic. Results indicated that average genetic knowledge levels were fairly high, with the majority of participants scoring 70-80 % correct on knowledge-based questions. Further, scores were found to be positively correlated with education, but inversely correlated with self-perceived knowledge. This finding suggests that participants with less experience tended to overestimate their knowledge. We suggest that gaps in knowledge of genetics and heritability could be improved by using educational interventions such as media campaigns, provision of informational brochures, or changes to current high school curriculum which would increase exposure to genetics and heritability for both parents and children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Education, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.affiliation: Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Rylan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kannu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. jm36@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents
keywords: Counselling, genetic; Education measurement; Families; Genetic diseases, inborn; Health education; Health knowledge, attitudes, practice; Humans; Public health; Service, genetic