Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Genetic Testing Consumers in Italy: A Preliminary Investigation of the Socio-Demographic Profile, Health-Related Habits, and Decision Purposes |
| Authors: |
Serena Oliveri, Giulia Marton, Laura Vergani, Ilaria Cutica, Alessandra Gorini, Francesca Spinella, Gabriella Pravettoni |
| Source: |
Frontiers in Public Health, Vol 8 (2020) |
| Publisher Information: |
Frontiers Media S.A., 2020. |
| Publication Year: |
2020 |
| Collection: |
LCC:Public aspects of medicine |
| Subject Terms: |
direct to consumer genetic testing, consumers' socio-demographic profile, public health, decision making, education in genetics, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270 |
| More Details: |
Aim of the study: Genetic testing is becoming increasingly common in clinical practice and health management; nonetheless, little is known about how the population approaches genetic services through private companies. Our study aims to describe socio-demographic aspects, health-related habits, and overall beliefs and knowledge about genetic risk and testing in a population of Italian citizens who decided to undergo a genetic examination through a private genetic company.Study design: A sample of 152 clients from an Italian private genetic company completed an ad-hoc survey from September 2016 to February 2018, addressing socio-demographic data, health habits, psycho-physic condition, perceived utility of genetic results, decision purposes about data sharing, and behavioral changes after results.Results: Participants (mean age 42.4) were predominantly female (82.2%) and were overall well-educated. Their main source of information were physicians (77%), and 41.1% entrusted the management of results to the same. Thirty-eight percentage underwent genetic analysis for cancer predisposition, 31.3% for fertility problems, 24% for dietary or intolerance issues in the period of enrolment. More than half of them (62.7%) reported a family history of the disease, and overall 69% had a current or past experience with a disease. Clients perceived the genetic screening as useful to adopt behaviors that may prevent disease onset (37.7%), to know their “real health status” (27.4%), and to adopt health-related behaviors (23.3%). 62.8% claimed they were motivated to change behaviors after results (healthier diet, practice exercise, medical checks), and they wanted to share results with their physician and family members.Discussion/Conclusion: The overview of consumers' profiles in Italy and other European countries can contribute to tailoring and regulating genetic services in a way that could be efficient in terms of healthy choices, behaviors, and health resource expenditures for the general public. |
| Document Type: |
article |
| File Description: |
electronic resource |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
2296-2565 |
| Relation: |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00511/full; https://doaj.org/toc/2296-2565 |
| DOI: |
10.3389/fpubh.2020.00511 |
| Access URL: |
https://doaj.org/article/805a6a31813a4fc0af9173198100f2b2 |
| Accession Number: |
edsdoj.805a6a31813a4fc0af9173198100f2b2 |
| Database: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |
