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Knowledge and attitudes towards genetic testing, a 2 year follow-up study in patients with astma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Calsbeek, H., Morren, M., Bensing, J., Rijken, M. Knowledge and attitudes towards genetic testing, a 2 year follow-up study in patients with astma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. European Journal of Public Health: 2005, 15(suppl. 1) 106. Abstract. 13th Annual EUPHA Meeting "Promoting the public's health: reorienting health policies, linking health promotion and health care", Graz, 10-12 November 2005.
Background: Scientific knowledge on genetics is growing fast, resulting in farreaching implications
for the possibilities and choices in health care and in daily life. Especially for patients with
chronic diseases that (partially) have a genetic aetiology, such as asthma, diabetes mellitus (DM),
and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and their families and offspring. Adequate knowledge regarding
the genetic component of diseases, as well as personal attitudes towards DNA-testing, are major
determinants of optimal utilization of genetic testing. Methods: Patients with asthma, DM (type II)
and CVD were selected from the Panel of Patients with Chronic Diseases. In the first survey on
genetic testing (April 2002) data from 577 patients could be analysed. Of these patients, 398 also
participated in the second survey on genetic testing in April 2004. Results: Most genetic knowledge
relates to associations between genes and diseases, least is known about associations between genes,
chromosomes, cells, and body. Multivariate regression analyses revealed a younger age, a higher
educational level, and the perception of own illness as hereditary as most important determinants of
factual knowledge. Their perceived knowledge on DNA-testing has not been increased since 2002.
Attitudes towards genetic testing hardly changed either. Most positive are patients about general
subjects covered by rather distant statements, many patients, however, are still worried about the
consequences for taking out insurances. Less perceived medical genetic knowledge and more perceived
social genetic knowledge results in a more reserved attitude towards genetic testing.Conclusions:
Advanced developments in scientific knowledge in the field of medical genetics are not accompanied
by increased knowledge in patients with asthma, DM type II, and CVD. Their attitudes towards
DNA-testing have also hardly changed in a period of 2 years. The finding that more perceived
knowledge of social consequences results in a more reserved attitude can be considered an indicator
for the necessity of a social debate on these possible consequences. (aut.ref.)