Genetic education for primary care providers: improving attitudes, knowledge, and confidence

Area of Science:

• Medical Genetics
• Primary Care Education
• Health Professions Training

Background:

• Primary care providers (PCPs) play a crucial role in identifying patients who may benefit from genetic services.
• Gaps in PCPs' genetic knowledge and confidence can hinder appropriate referrals and genetic testing.
• Effective educational interventions are needed to enhance PCPs' capacity in genetic medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on PCPs' awareness, knowledge, confidence, and attitudes regarding genetic services.
• To assess PCPs' self-perceived ability to act as genetic resources for patients with hereditary diseases.
• To improve the integration of genetic services into primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• A complex educational intervention was delivered to primary care providers in Ontario.
• The intervention included an interactive workshop and educational modules on genetics.
• Participants completed baseline, immediate feedback, and 6-month follow-up questionnaires to assess outcomes.

Main Results:

• Twenty-one PCPs completed the study. No significant change was observed in awareness or use of genetic services.
• Significant improvements were noted in self-assessed knowledge (P = .001) and confidence (P = .005) regarding adult-onset genetic disorders.
• Confidence increased in core competencies like risk assessment, referral decisions, discussing genetic testing, and prenatal options. Agreement on the benefits of genetic testing for adult-onset diseases also rose (P = .031).

Conclusions:

• Interactive workshops and educational modules can effectively enhance PCPs' knowledge and confidence in delivering genetic services.
• These interventions support PCPs in becoming better genetic resources within primary care.
• Further strategies may be needed to improve the actual utilization of genetic services by PCPs.