Mini-Review: Genetic Literacy and Engagement With Genetic Testing for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

As genomic and personalized medicine is integrated into healthcare, the need for patients to understand and make decisions about their own genetic makeup increases. Genetic literacy, or one’s knowledge of genetic principles and their applications, measures an individual’s ability to apply genetic information to their own treatment. Increased genetic literacy can improve comprehension of genetic tests and therefore increase participation in testing to detect and treat genetic disorders. It can also help providers understand and explain genetic information to their patients. However, current research indicates that the population’s genetic literacy is generally low. Because many medical students, providers, and patients cannot adequately apply genetic information to their health, new and beneficial genetic technologies can be underused. More specifically, though genetic testing is recommended at the time of diagnosis for those affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as few as 22% of families undergo genetic testing after diagnosis. While ASD, a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social communication and restricted interests, has both genetic and environmental risk, genetic testing can give clinicians useful information and help families avoid potentially painful and costly tests, even when many families do not receive a “positive” genetic result through microarrays or gene panels. Improving genetic literacy in populations affected by ASD can also improve attitudes toward genetic testing, thereby ensuring access to genetic health risk information. In this mini review, we discuss the current literature describing genetic literacy and genetic testing rates for ASD.