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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 May;104(5):936-943.
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.10.021. Epub 2020 Oct 19.

Testing a best practices risk result format to communicate genetic risks

Kyle W Davis  1 , Debra L Roter  2 , Tara Schmidlen  3 , Laura B Scheinfeldt  4 , William M P Klein  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Testing a best practices risk result format to communicate genetic risks

Kyle W Davis et al. Patient Educ Couns. 2021 May.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of a genetic report format using risk communication "best-practices" on risk perceptions, in part to reduce risk overestimates.

Methods: Adults (N = 470) from the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative (CPMC) were randomized to a 2 × 2 experimental design to receive a hypothetical "personalized" genetic risk result for leukemia (relative risk = 1.5 or 2.5) through either the standard CPMC report (N = 232) or an enriched report informed by best practices (N = 238). A one-time, online survey assessed numeracy and risk perceptions including "feelings of risk" and a numerical estimate.

Results: Regardless of numeracy, participants who received the enriched report had fewer overestimates of their lifetime risk estimate (LRE; odds ratio = 0.19, p < .001) and lower feelings of risk on two of three measures (p < .001). Participants with higher numeracy scores had fewer overestimates of LRE (OR = 0.66, p < .001) and lower feelings of risk on two out of three measures (p ≤ .01); the interaction between numeracy and report format was non-significant.

Conclusion: The enriched report produced more accurate LRE and lower risk perceptions regardless of numeracy level, suggesting the enriched format was helpful to individuals irrespective of numeracy ability.

Practice implications: Best practice elements in risk reports may help individuals form more accurate risk perceptions.

Keywords: Genomic risk; Health risk assessment; Numeracy; Personalized medicine; Risk communication; Risk perception.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest: During the conduct of the study, Mr. Davis reports grant funding from the National Human Genome Research Institute and non-financial support from Lineagen, Inc. The other authors have no declarations of interest to declare.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Kyle W. Davis is an employee of and owns stock options in Lineagen, Inc. He received non-financial, protected time to complete this manuscript, which was based on his master’s thesis. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
CONSORT Study Flow Diagram
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
The Hypothetical “Standard” Genomic Risk Report
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
The Enriched Report for the 2.5 Relative Risk Level
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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