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Demand for predictive genetic testing for Huntington's disease in Australia, 1987 to 1993
Author(s) -
Taylor Sandra D
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1994.tb127485.x
Subject(s) - genetic testing , predictive testing , disease , huntington's disease , genetic counseling , medicine , demography , risk assessment , offspring , gerontology , psychiatry , pregnancy , genetics , biology , computer security , sociology , computer science
Few Australians at risk of developing Huntington's disease made use of the genetic testing procedure of family linkage analysis Objective To assess the demand for genetic testing for Huntington's disease among at‐risk individuals and for prenatal testing among parents at risk of transmitting the disease, from January 1987 to March 1993. Methods Questionnaires were sent to all State coordinators of genetic testing services. Results One hundred and ninety adults (5.S% of those at risk) and 56 fetuses were tested. Nine per cent more women than men used the service. Most people tested were married and had offspring. Men generally presented for testing at an older age than women. Conclusion The low uptake for testing is not surprising given the severity and untreatability of the illness. Careful monitoring is required, particularly of the effects on individuals told of their genetic status and of possible abuse of the information by third parties.