Abstract 6337: Assessing genomic literacy among medical trainees and practitioners in Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract Genomic literacy has a significant impact on the successful application and deployment of new practices such as precision medicine. It can be described as the ability to achieve, process, understand, and apply genomic knowledge to health-related decision-making. The aim of this study is to assess the level of genomic literacy, including the knowledge of genetic testing, its outcomes, and its significance among medical trainees and practitioners in Pakistan. This study also offers recommendations for improving genomic literacy within the medical community in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study for which an online questionnaire was designed in the English language using Google Forms. The questionnaire was distributed among trainees and practitioners across Pakistan through online social media platforms. The survey comprised of 36 questions categorized into three sections namely demographics, quantitative questions, and knowledge section. A total of 219 medical professionals (56% trained in medicine while 44% in Dentistry) responded to the survey. Medical practitioners from 27 different cities across Pakistan participated in the survey but with a clear bias towards the city of Peshawar (90%). The majority of the participants (57.5%) were trainee medical officers. Most of the participants in this cohort were aware of genetics, the genome, and PCR technology but 74.9% were not familiar with genetic tests in their specialty. The mean total score for the multiple-choice questions among the participants was 62.5% graduates of medicine (65%) outperforming those in dentistry (59%). Participants were asked about their interest in further learning opportunities about genomics, for which 71% answered in affirmation, however, the remaining were not overly interested. Genomic literacy level can be considered satisfactory at the level of classical genetics, yet there is a clear need for training in molecular biology concepts such as protein synthesis, gene expression, and genome structure within the medical community. With a limited sample size and diversity of respondents, the subject warrants a broader survey to assess genomic literacy which can help in better planning for wider adoption of genomic testing in the medical community. Findings of this survey also highlight the need for assessing medical communities in other low-resource and underprivileged settings to help enhance our understanding and avoid a looming ‘genomics divide’. Citation Format: Madina Barakzai, Shagufta Rehmat, Faisal F. Khan. Assessing genomic literacy among medical trainees and practitioners in Pakistan [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6337.