Precision Medicine: Familiarity, Perceived Health Drivers, and Genetic Testing Considerations Across Health Literacy Levels in a Diverse Sample

This study describes and compares group differences in familiarity, perceptions, and preferences for precision medicine in a diverse sample. Between 2016 and 2017, 252 participants completed a 1 0–15-min survey in three primary care clinics in Florida and Tennessee. The final sample was 42.5% African American/Black, 25.8% Hispanic/Latino, 25.0% White, and 6.7% other ethnicity/race. Less than a quarter of participants reported being familiar with the term “precision medicine,” but were more familiar with basic genetic terms. Participants with higher health literacy reported greater familiarity with terms (p ≤ .003). African Americans/Black participants were more likely to identify ethnicity/race and discrimination as influencing their health (p ≤ .004). When deciding to get a genetic test, individuals across ethnic/racial groups shared similar considerations. Those with higher health literacy, however, gave significantly greater importance to provider trust (p ≤ .008). Given the recent emergence of precision medicine, at present there may be limited differences in patient perceptions across ethnic/racial groups. Culturally sensitive efforts, tailored to health literacy level, may aid equitable precision medicine uptake.
Source: Journal of Genetic Counseling - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research