Relationship between public attitudes toward genomic studies related to medicine and their level of genomic literacy in Japan

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess public attitudes toward the promotion of genomic studies related to medicine and to examine the relationship between public attitudes and the level of genomic literacy by analyzing data from a nationwide opinion survey. The participants comprised 4,000 people (age, 20-69) selected from the Japanese general population by using the two-step stratified random sampling method. They were queried on the following topics in a mail survey: (1) pros and cons of the promotion of genomic studies related to medicine, (2) level of scientific literacy in genomics, (3) demographic and socioeconomic background, and (4) knowledge and attitudes toward science in general and genetic testing in particular. We examined the relationship between the approval of promotion and literacy level, using logistic regression models stratified by gender. Our results showed the response rate was 54.3% (2,171/4,000), and 69.4% participants favored the promotion of genomic studies related to medicine. Only 1.3% participants expressed a negative attitude. Multivariate analysis revealed that approval of promotion was related to a high literacy score. This relationship was stronger in males than in females (the highest quartile of score vs. the lowest: adjusted odds ratio, 3.36 for males and 1.86 for females; 95% confidence interval, 1.88-5.98 for males and 1.17-2.95 for females). We determined that a majority of the Japanese participants currently approved of the promotion of genomic studies related to medicine and that people with a high level of genomic literacy tended to approve the promotion.

Age Differences in Genetic Knowledge, Health Literacy and Causal Beliefs for Health Conditions

“…Following these analyses, multivariable models were built for the significantly associated variables controlling for potential confounding variables. Based on the findings of previous studies [19,29,31], sociodemographic factors considered as potential confounders in health literacy and genetic knowledge models included gender, race, levels of education, language of survey administration, and place of birth. Multiple linear regression models were fitted for the continuous outcomes (genetic knowledge, health literacy) using gender, race, educational attainment, survey language, and place of birth as covariates; regression coefficients and respective p values are reported.…”

“…about heredity, genetic tests, genetic determinism) among Dutch [29] and Finn [30] adults as well as higher genetic literacy (i.e. genetic terminology, contextual understanding) among younger Japanese than older [31]. To our knowledge, studies evaluating differences by age in general knowledge about genetics and heredity among a population at average disease risk have not been conducted in the U.S. in recent years.…”

“…Increasing availability of genetic information is likely to influence these illness beliefs and to further impact how individuals act in response to this new information. Previous findings on the association between age and genetic knowledge [29,31] suggest that older individuals may be exposed to genetic information to a lesser extent, and thus, may have different genetic beliefs than younger individuals. Investigating potential age differences in such causal beliefs (e.g., causation due to genetics and behavioral factors) will provide additional information for determining optimal strategies to provide genetic information.…”

Racial Differences in Attitudes toward Personalized Medicine

“…Focus groups have described a lack of awareness regarding personalized medicine, and concerns regarding its use, but also a willingness from the participants to learn more about it [16,17,18,19,20]. Surveys from outside the US show public support for personalized medicine, albeit with concerns regarding cost, privacy and patient sovereignty [21,22,23,24,25]. …”

Enhancing geneticists’ perspectives of the public through community engagement

“…Several studies have reported positive public attitudes about genetic research and genetic testing. [1][2][3][4] Although some studies have reported low levels of public understanding of genetic concepts, 3,5,6 the general knowledge level may be increasing. 6 In comparison, little data are available about researchers' views of public understanding and interest in science, particularly genetics and genomic research.…”