TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic susceptibility testing for Alzheimer disease
T2 - Motivation to obtain information and control as precursors to coping with increased risk
AU - Gooding, Holly C.
AU - Linnenbringer, Erin L.
AU - Burack, Jeffrey
AU - Roberts, J. Scott
AU - Green, Robert C.
AU - Biesecker, Barbara B.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health.
PY - 2006/12
Y1 - 2006/12
N2 - Objective: This study investigated appraisals, including motivation, and coping preferences for undergoing Apolipoprotein E (APOE) susceptibility testing for Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Participants were 60 adult children of individuals affected with AD enrolled in a trial investigating use and impact of APOE susceptibility testing. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken in which participants were interviewed about their testing experience. Results: Most participants viewed genetic testing as providing valuable information that could help direct future health care decisions and meet their emotional concerns about living at increased risk. Participants related their motivation for genetic testing to their worries about developing AD, preference to seek information about health threats, and need to feel in control of their health. Conclusion: Even without prevention or treatment options, genetic testing may be a useful coping strategy for some at-risk individuals. Practice implications: Once testing becomes clinically available, practitioners need to address the value and limitations of testing as well as appraisals and efforts to cope.
AB - Objective: This study investigated appraisals, including motivation, and coping preferences for undergoing Apolipoprotein E (APOE) susceptibility testing for Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Participants were 60 adult children of individuals affected with AD enrolled in a trial investigating use and impact of APOE susceptibility testing. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken in which participants were interviewed about their testing experience. Results: Most participants viewed genetic testing as providing valuable information that could help direct future health care decisions and meet their emotional concerns about living at increased risk. Participants related their motivation for genetic testing to their worries about developing AD, preference to seek information about health threats, and need to feel in control of their health. Conclusion: Even without prevention or treatment options, genetic testing may be a useful coping strategy for some at-risk individuals. Practice implications: Once testing becomes clinically available, practitioners need to address the value and limitations of testing as well as appraisals and efforts to cope.
KW - Alzheimer disease risk
KW - Apolipoprotein E
KW - Appraisals of health threat
KW - Genetic counseling
KW - Genetic testing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33751111175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2006.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2006.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 16860524
AN - SCOPUS:33751111175
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 64
SP - 259
EP - 267
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
IS - 1-3
ER -