Transcultural genetic counselling in the UK

Transcultural genetic counselling is not about being an expert on any given culture, rather it is a way of thinking about patients that acknowledges and values culture. Transcultural genetic counselling aims to provide a service, and to focus attention on aspects of the genetic counselling process which can easily be overlooked as we strive to improve the ways in which complex genetic information is delivered to all of the cultural groups we seek to serve.

Two specific examples to illustrate particular problems will be given: (1) a UK Pakistani family with a lethal skin disorder and Down syndrome diagnosed prenatally, and (2) a Caucasian family who presented with a twin pregnancy and a history of infertility.

This article examines the way in which patients perceive and try to make sense of genetic diseases, the information given, and the course of action taken which may play a part in this process. We are also interested in how clinicians imagine the manner in which different cultures may influence the way they interact with patients. Genetic counsellors who view these differences as positive attributes will be most likely to meet, and resolve, the challenges that arise in transcultural genetic counselling.