Comparing genetic counseling with non-genetic health care interactions: Two of a kind?

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Ellen Smets ; Myra van Zwieten ; Susan Michie
• 关键词：Genetic counseling ; Patient– ; provider communication ; Relationship ; Information ; Decision making ; Health behavior ; Emotional support ; Review
• 刊名：Patient Education and Counseling
• 出版年：2007
• 出版时间：November 2007
• 年：2007
• 卷：68
• 期：3
• 页码：225-234
• 全文大小：166 K

文摘

Increasingly clinicians other than genetic counselors will advise people with genetic risks. Although some express concerns about this development because of the need for non-genetic clinicians to have additional training, we argue that genetic counseling has more in common with other health care interactions than is generally assumed.

ass=""h4"">Methods

In this narrative review we investigate the health communication literature taking the perspective that all provider–patient/client interactions share the following goals: forming a relationship, the exchange of information, decision making, promoting health-related behavior and providing support.

ass=""h4"">Results

We found that both non-genetic and genetic ‘disciplines’ endorse an egalitarian relationship, based on a patient-centered approach and both have difficulties with attuning to the patients’ agendas and enhancing patient understanding. Shared decision making is increasingly the preferred model for geneticists and non-geneticists alike, and both need skills to constructively discuss patients’ risk-reducing behavior and provide emotional support.

ass=""h4"">Conclusion

Rather than developing separate vocabularies and research traditions, the discipline of genetic counseling may benefit by drawing on non-genetic patient–provider interaction research.

ass=""h4"">Practice implications

Since geneticists face the same challenges as non-geneticists, medical training should continue to improve basic consultation skills, regardless of whether the consultation involves genetic information.