TY - JOUR
T1 - Specialist physicians’ referral behavior regarding preimplantation genetic testing for single-gene disorders
T2 - Is there room to grow?
AU - Capelouto, Sarah
AU - Evans, Melanie
AU - Shannon, Jennifer
AU - Jetelina, Katelyn
AU - Bukulmez, Orhan
AU - Carr, Bruce
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Objective: To assess whether primary care specialists’ demographics, specialty, and knowledge of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) influence their practice patterns. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Setting: Academic medical center. Patient(s): Not applicable. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Objective PGT-M knowledge, subjective comfort with PGT-related topics, PGT care practices (discussions/referrals), and PGT-M implementation barriers. Result(s): Our survey had 145 respondents: 65 obstetrician/gynecologists, 36 internists, and 44 pediatricians. Overall, 88% believed that patients at a risk of passing on genetic disorders should be provided PGT-M information. However, few discussed PGT-M with their patients (24%) or referred them for testing (23%). Over half (63%) believed that the lack of physician knowledge was a barrier to PGT use. In terms of subjective comfort with PGT, only 1 in 5 physicians felt familiar enough with the topic to answer patient questions. There were higher odds of discussing (odds ratio, 3.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.75–5.87) or referring for PGT (odds ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.41–4.51) for each additional 0.5 correct answers to PGT knowledge-related questions. The odds of referring patients for PGT-M were the highest among obstetrician/gynecologists compared with those among the internists and pediatricians. Conclusion(s): Physician specialty and PGT knowledge were associated with PGT-M care delivery practices. Although most specialists believed in equipping at-risk patients with PGT-M information, <1 in 4 discussed or referred patients for PGT. The low levels of PGT-related care among providers may be owed to inadequate knowledge of and comfort with the topic. An opportunity to promote greater understanding of PGT-M among primary care specialists exists and can in turn improve the use of referrals to PGT-M services.
AB - Objective: To assess whether primary care specialists’ demographics, specialty, and knowledge of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) influence their practice patterns. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Setting: Academic medical center. Patient(s): Not applicable. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Objective PGT-M knowledge, subjective comfort with PGT-related topics, PGT care practices (discussions/referrals), and PGT-M implementation barriers. Result(s): Our survey had 145 respondents: 65 obstetrician/gynecologists, 36 internists, and 44 pediatricians. Overall, 88% believed that patients at a risk of passing on genetic disorders should be provided PGT-M information. However, few discussed PGT-M with their patients (24%) or referred them for testing (23%). Over half (63%) believed that the lack of physician knowledge was a barrier to PGT use. In terms of subjective comfort with PGT, only 1 in 5 physicians felt familiar enough with the topic to answer patient questions. There were higher odds of discussing (odds ratio, 3.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.75–5.87) or referring for PGT (odds ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.41–4.51) for each additional 0.5 correct answers to PGT knowledge-related questions. The odds of referring patients for PGT-M were the highest among obstetrician/gynecologists compared with those among the internists and pediatricians. Conclusion(s): Physician specialty and PGT knowledge were associated with PGT-M care delivery practices. Although most specialists believed in equipping at-risk patients with PGT-M information, <1 in 4 discussed or referred patients for PGT. The low levels of PGT-related care among providers may be owed to inadequate knowledge of and comfort with the topic. An opportunity to promote greater understanding of PGT-M among primary care specialists exists and can in turn improve the use of referrals to PGT-M services.
KW - Preimplantation genetic testing
KW - monogenic disease
KW - obstetrician/gynecologist
KW - primary care specialist
KW - survey
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U2 - 10.1016/j.xfre.2021.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.xfre.2021.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 34278357
AN - SCOPUS:85117611775
SN - 2666-3341
VL - 2
SP - 215
EP - 223
JO - F and S Reports
JF - F and S Reports
IS - 2
ER -