The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and workplace genetic testing: Knowledge and perceptions of employed adults in the United States

Author:

Willard Lindsay1,Uhlmann Wendy12,Prince Anya E. R.3,Blasco Drew4,Pal Subhamoy5,Roberts J. Scott6ORCID,

Affiliation:

1. Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA

2. Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA

3. College of Law University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA

4. Department of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Public Health University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas Nevada USA

5. Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA

6. Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, School of Public Health University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA

Abstract

AbstractWorkplace wellness programs are an emerging avenue for health‐related genetic testing, with some large employers now offering such testing to employees. Employees' knowledge and concerns regarding genetic discrimination may impact their decision‐making about and uptake of workplace genetic testing (wGT). This study describes employed adults' objective knowledge of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and evaluates how this knowledge correlates with attitudes and beliefs regarding wGT. Analyses utilized data from a large, national web‐based survey of employed adults (N = 2000; mean age = 43 years; 51% female; 55.2% college educated). Overall, most respondents (57.3%) said they were unaware of any laws protecting against genetic discrimination. Specifically, 62.6% indicated they were not at all familiar with GINA. The primary study outcome was respondents' score on a 13‐item measure assessing knowledge of basic facts about GINA. Participants had low overall GINA knowledge (M = 4.6/13 items correct (35%), SD = 2.9), with employees often presuming GINA offers greater legal protections than it does (e.g., 45.3% erroneously endorsed that GINA protected against discrimination in life insurance). Logistic regression analyses assessed associations between GINA knowledge and employees' demographic characteristics, prior experience with genetic testing, and attitudes regarding wGT. Variables significantly associated with GINA knowledge included higher interest in wGT (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.77), self‐reported familiarity with GINA (aOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.64, 2.50), and favorable attitudes toward wGT (aOR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.52, 2.44). Results indicate public knowledge of GINA remains low over 15 years after its passage. These findings highlight the need for employee education on GINA before participating in wGT, as well as broader public education on GINA's legal protections and limitations. Genetic counselors lead GINA education efforts in clinical and public settings and can play a pivotal role in ongoing public education initiatives about GINA.

Funder

National Human Genome Research Institute

Publisher

Wiley

Reference18 articles.

1. Direct-to-Consumer Testing 2.0: Emerging Models of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

2. American Society of Human Genetics. (2017).ASHG opposes H.R.1313 the preserving employee wellness programs act[Press release].https://www.ashg.org/publications‐news/press‐releases/201703‐hr1313/

3. Development and Validation of a Comprehensive Genomics Knowledge Scale

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3