Pathways to genetic screening: Patient knowledges, Patient practices. Technical report of research progress

摘要

This study is designed to clarify the integration of genetic knowledge into the lived experience of high-risk family members. A major focus is elucidation of the social and cultural barriers and bridges to the use of genetic information to increase reproductive options and improve the quality of family life. They study focuses on families at risk for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease. These two disease groups were selected because they are among the most common potentially lethal genetic diseases and because while each has a similar pattern of inheritance and raises similarly serious bio-medical challenges and issues of information management, they primarily affect different racial and ethno-cultural groups permitting a naturally occurring experiment. In the variable penetration and meaning of genetic medicine in two populations. We have conducted intensive interviews with more than 300 individuals in approximately 88 families. We have attempted to balance the effort equally between the two groups, but have found we are able to penetrate the family systems of the cystic fibrosis families more easily than the sickle cell families.