Investigating knowledge and attitudes toward genetic testing and counseling among palestinians

Genetic testing is important in the diagnosis of genetic disorders. Genetic counseling integrates the interpretation of the results of genetic testing to reach informed decisions concerning genetic disorders. Palestine has an increased incidence of genetic disorders primarily due to the continued practice of consanguineous marriage. Nevertheless, limited research has been conducted to explore public awareness regarding genetic testing and genetic counseling. The current study aimed to assess the public knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Palestinians toward genetic testing and genetic counseling. A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire that gathered information from Palestinians whose ages were 18 years or older between April and July 2024. The questionnaire gathered demographic information about the participants and assessed their genetic test usage patterns and their knowledge, practices, and attitudes toward genetic testing and counseling. A total of 1056 participants (408 males and 648 females) completed the questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 31.18 years. Sixty-seven point 6% of the participants reported their knowledge about the term genetic testing; however, only 35.5% of them knew the term genetic counseling. Knowledge of genetic testing was significantly associated with younger ages, higher levels of education, and higher income (p < 0.05). Knowledge of genetic counseling was significantly associated with higher income and was more familiar among married participants and those who underwent routine check-ups. Only 9% indicated that they underwent genetic testing which was higher among older ages, married participants, among those undergoing routine check-ups, and among participants who had hereditary disorders in their families. Among the 95 participants who had genetic tests, 52.6% of them performed it for marriage. Other reasons for undergoing genetic testing were diagnosis (22.1%), followed by carrier testing (17.9%), and predictive and pre-symptomatic testing (10.5%). Sixty-point-6% of respondents reported they would like to perform genetic testing as a predictive test for cancer risk. Participants with higher levels of education were more likely to perform cancer-predictive genetic testing (p < 0.05). Participants who were undergoing routine check-ups, those who had reported their health status as poor, and those who had hereditary disorders in their families were more likely to perform predictive cancer genetic testing. In conclusion, there is insufficient knowledge about genetic counseling among Palestinians. Despite the relatively good knowledge of genetic testing, this has not translated into appropriate practice. Genetic testing is still not widely practiced and the most common for performing it is pre-marriage testing rather than medical reasons. It is strongly recommended to increase awareness about genetic testing and genetic counseling among Palestinians. In particular, these programs should be directed toward people with lower levels of education, and toward families with a high degree of consanguinity and consequently a high incidence of genetic disorders.