Motivations, perceptions and impacts of direct-to-consumer genetic testing among users in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Consumer Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) is increasingly popular globally.
• Limited research exists on DTC-GT consumer profiles outside North America and Europe.
• Understanding diverse consumer experiences is crucial for ethical and effective DTC-GT services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the sociodemographic characteristics of Brazilian DTC-GT consumers.
• To identify primary motivations for utilizing DTC-GT services in Brazil.
• To assess the psychological and behavioral impacts of DTC-GT results on Brazilian consumers.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to 1513 Brazilian DTC-GT consumers.
• Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square tests were employed for data analysis.
• Post-hoc and correspondence analyses were used for significant findings.

Main Results:

• The study sample comprised 1513 Brazilian DTC-GT consumers (mean age 42, 60.8% female).
• Key motivations included seeking genetic predispositions to diseases (87.2%) and biogeographical ancestry (86.2%).
• 64.0% reported lifestyle changes, such as dietary adjustments (38.7%) and increased physical activity (16.5%), with limited negative psychological impact.

Conclusions:

• Brazilian DTC-GT consumers are primarily motivated by health and ancestry information.
• DTC-GT uptake in Brazil is associated with positive lifestyle modifications.
• Consumers generally exhibit confidence in interpreting results, with minimal adverse psychological effects observed.