Psychosocial, attitudinal, and demographic correlates of cancer-related germline genetic testing in the 2017 Health Information National Trends Survey.

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Abstract

The study objective was to examine bivariate and multivariate associations among worry, perceptions, attitudes, sociodemographics, and uptake of cancer-related germline genetic testing. We used data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (cycle 5.1), administered (January-May 2017) to a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized adults (n = 3285). Those who had "heard about genetic tests that determine how a disease can be treated" had a higher likelihood of Lynch syndrome and BRCA1/2 testing (aRR = 2.57, p < 0.01; aRR = 3.23, p < 0.04). Attitudinal and psychosocial variables were not associated with uptake. Future research should explore ways to educate the public about the potential use of genetics in treatment decision-making.