Aschauer Elena, Yazdi Shahriar Izadi, Aschauer Harald
Allgemein Psychiatrische Abteilung, Klinik Landstrasse, Wiener Gesundheitsverbund, Vienna, Austria.
Erste Psychiatrische Abteilung mit Zentrum für Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Klinik Penzing, Wiener Gesundheitsverbund, Vienna, Austria.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 Oct 3;15:1436875. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1436875. eCollection 2024.
Genetic counseling and testing in psychiatry warrant attention, but research results on attitude, knowledge, personal experience and interest are limited. There are only a few studies that have compared the opinions of the general population and experts regarding genetic counseling and genetic testing in mental illness.
This study aimed to investigate these gaps through a cross-sectional survey conducted in Austria, involving a sample of the web-active population, representative according to gender, age and geographical location (n=1,000, 24.5% of them had a psychiatric diagnosis), and experts (n=145, 83.4% of them psychiatrists). Two questionnaires were developed. Pearson chi-square statistics were used to compare responses, and regression analyses were employed to measure the strength of psycho-sociodemographic influences on answers.
The findings revealed that public considered genetic counseling to be more important than experts did (68.8% versus 54.2%; Pearson chi-square 12.183; df=1; p<0.001). The general population believed that genetic testing is useful for diagnosing mental disorders, which contrasted with experts' opinions (67.9% versus 17.2%; Pearson chi-square 137.236; df=1; p<0.001). Both groups agreed on the potential benefits of pharmacogenetic testing (79% versus 80%). A small number of individuals from the public had sought genetic counseling (8%), and only a minority of experts had specific training and experience in this field (28%).
This is the first survey study on the topic conducted in Austria, with limited international studies available. Austrian experts place less value on genetic counseling compared to their counterparts in other countries. Despite recognized importance placed on genetic counseling and testing, utilization rates remain low. The value of pharmacogenetics is predicted to increase in the future. Consequently, it is crucial for medical training programs to emphasize the significance of genetic counseling and enhance the understanding of genetic aspects related to mental illnesses to enable experts to provide adequate psychoeducation and personalized care to the extent possible to patients and their families.
精神病学中的遗传咨询与检测值得关注，但关于态度、知识、个人经历和兴趣的研究结果有限。仅有少数研究比较了普通人群和专家对精神疾病遗传咨询及基因检测的看法。
本研究旨在通过在奥地利开展的一项横断面调查来探究这些差距，该调查涉及网络活跃人群样本（根据性别、年龄和地理位置具有代表性，n = 1000，其中24.5%有精神疾病诊断）以及专家样本（n = 145，其中83.4%为精神科医生）。编制了两份问卷。使用Pearson卡方统计量比较回答情况，并采用回归分析来衡量心理社会人口学因素对答案的影响强度。
研究结果显示，公众认为遗传咨询比专家更为重要（68.8%对54.2%；Pearson卡方 = 12.183；自由度 = 1；p < 0.001）。普通人群认为基因检测对精神障碍诊断有用，这与专家的观点形成对比（67.9%对17.2%；Pearson卡方 = 137.236；自由度 = 1；p < 0.001）。两组在药物遗传学检测的潜在益处上达成一致（79%对80%）。少数公众寻求过遗传咨询（8%），且仅有少数专家在该领域有特定培训和经验（28%）。
这是奥地利首次针对该主题开展的调查研究，国际上相关研究有限。与其他国家的同行相比，奥地利专家对遗传咨询的重视程度较低。尽管认识到遗传咨询和检测的重要性，但利用率仍然较低。预计药物遗传学的价值未来会增加。因此，医学培训项目必须强调遗传咨询的重要性，并加强对与精神疾病相关遗传方面的理解，以使专家能够尽可能为患者及其家属提供充分的心理教育和个性化护理。
