Social media usage in family communication about genetic information: 'I no longer speak with my sister but she needed to know'
Affiliations
- PMID: 32648349
- DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1307
Abstract
The use of social media has become a ubiquitous form of communication. Little is known about whether social media is used in families to assist with the communication of genetic information. This study aimed to understand if and why individuals use social media to communicate genetic information to at-risk relatives. Individuals with either a pathogenic variant in a cancer-predisposing gene or a heterozygous pathogenic variant in an autosomal or X-linked recessive gene were surveyed about communicating genetic information to their at-risk relatives and their use of social media to assist this process. Surveys were sent to 323 individuals from a reproductive carrier screening program and 250 individuals from a familial cancer center. The 128 responses (response rate 25.2%) showed that while most participants (79.0%) did not use social media to communicate genetic information, those that did use social media (21.0%) found it to be helpful as it was easy, accessible and allowed individuals to overcome communication barriers. Genetic professionals should be aware that social media is being used by individuals to assist family communication about genetic information and should discuss this method of communication with individuals who are faced with communicating genetic information with their family.
Keywords: communication; dissemination; family; genetic information; social media.
© 2020 National Society of Genetic Counselors.
Similar articles
- Family Communication in Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions in Ireland.J Genet Couns. 2016 Dec;25(6):1317-1326. doi: 10.1007/s10897-016-9974-5. Epub 2016 Jun 8.PMID: 27271705
- Communication about carrier testing within hemophilia A families.Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 May 15;119C(1):3-10. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.10001.PMID: 12704632
- Communicating with Daughters About Familial Risk of Breast Cancer: Individual, Family, and Provider Influences on Women's Knowledge of Cancer Risk.Version 2. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018 May;27(5):630-639. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2017.6528. Epub 2018 Jan 29.PMID: 29377785 Free PMC article.
- How communication of genetic information within the family is addressed in genetic counselling: a systematic review of research evidence.Eur J Hum Genet. 2016 Mar;24(3):315-25. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.174. Epub 2015 Aug 12.PMID: 26264439 Free PMC article. Review.
- Fanconi Anemia.2002 Feb 14 [updated 2018 Mar 8]. In: Adam MP, Ardinger HH, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Bean LJH, Stephens K, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993–2020.PMID: 20301575 Free Books & Documents. Review.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario