Shafqat Shameel, Naseem Masooma, Rana Masooma, Naseem Zehra, Ahmed Warda, Musharraf Muhammad Daniyal, Zaheer Arisha, Shaikh Ahmed Safiullah, Musharraf Muhammad Bazil, Niaz Mahnoor, Khan Saifullah, Irfan Rabiya, Imran Areeba, Mehmood Zahid
Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Medical College, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
J Community Genet. 2023 Jun;14(3):337-344. doi: 10.1007/s12687-023-00650-2. Epub 2023 May 5.
Healthcare professionals (HCP) play an important role in the practical application of genetic screening tests but often feel inadequately prepared for cancer genetic testing (CGT) in clinical care. As the complexity of gene-related malignancies increases, it demands HCPs' preparedness to cater to patients' needs. Therefore, the aim of our study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of HCPs in Pakistan regarding the application of cancer genetics. Our cross-sectional survey was conducted from April 2022 to June 2022 amongst HCPs at a private and a governmental institution in Karachi, Pakistan. Non-probability random convenience sampling was used to select the population; however. non-clinical HCPs, as well as Interns, were excluded from our study. A total of 210 HCPs, 56.7% (119) bearing an experience of over 5 years of clinical experience, were included in this study. Most respondents from both hospitals deemed their knowledge inadequate, with only 2% (2) and 1.8% (2) being extremely knowledgeable, respectively. 68.6% (144) HCPs displayed a positive attitude towards CGT, with 55.2% (116) participants perceiving CGT in a positive light. As compared to the private sector, significantly more HCPs in the public sector dedicated ≥ 5 h/week for CME (P = 0.006), and were better prepared to counsel patients (P = 0.021) and interpret results concerning CGT (P = 0.020). Additionally, screening tests for specific cancer types were popularly considered a worthwhile avenue of investment to improve the current state of CGT in our healthcare system [47.6% (N = 100)]. Demonstrating a lack of knowledge among Pakistani doctors, our results call upon the need for additional training concerning CGT in both the public and private sectors alike. Understanding specific gaps in knowledge may further help enhance post-graduate training programs and eventually lead to effective incorporation of CGT into our healthcare setting.
医疗保健专业人员（HCP）在基因筛查测试的实际应用中发挥着重要作用，但在临床护理中，他们往往觉得自己对癌症基因检测（CGT）准备不足。随着与基因相关的恶性肿瘤的复杂性增加，这就要求医疗保健专业人员做好准备以满足患者的需求。因此，我们研究的目的是评估巴基斯坦医疗保健专业人员在癌症遗传学应用方面的知识、态度和实践情况。我们的横断面调查于2022年4月至2022年6月在巴基斯坦卡拉奇的一家私立机构和一家政府机构的医疗保健专业人员中进行。采用非概率随机便利抽样来选择研究对象；然而，非临床医疗保健专业人员以及实习生被排除在我们的研究之外。本研究共纳入了210名医疗保健专业人员，其中56.7%（119名）有超过5年的临床经验。两家医院的大多数受访者都认为自己的知识不足，分别只有2%（2名）和1.8%（2名）知识极其渊博。68.6%（144名）的医疗保健专业人员对癌症基因检测持积极态度，55.2%（116名）的参与者对癌症基因检测持正面看法。与私营部门相比，公共部门中有更多的医疗保健专业人员每周投入≥5小时进行继续医学教育（P = 0.
