Genetic Literacy and Communication of Genetic Information in Families Concerned with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer: A Cross-Study Comparison in Two Countries and within a Timeframe of More Than 10 Years.

ABSTRACT: Examining genetic literacy in families concerned with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) helps understand how genetic information is passed on from individuals who had genetic counseling to their at-risk relatives. This cross-study comparison explored genetic literacy both at the individual and the family level using data collected from three sequential studies conducted in the U.S. and Switzerland over ≥10 years. Participants were primarily females, at-risk or confirmed carriers of HBOC-associated pathogenic variants, who had genetic counselling, and ≥1 of their relatives who did not. Fifteen items assessed genetic literacy. Among 1933 individuals from 518 families, 38.5% had genetic counselling and 61.5% did not. Although genetic literacy was higher among participants who had co

SUBMITTER: Pedrazzani C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8699808 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature