Attitudes of Potential Providers Towards Preconceptional Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening

Abstract

To determine the attitudes of potential providers (general practitioners and Community Health Service workers) towards preconceptional cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening and to determine which factors are associated with a positive attitude. A survey was conducted among 200 general practitioners (GPs) and 134 Community Health Service (CHS) workers. Fifty-two percent of the eligible GPs participated and 84% of the CHS workers. Fifty-five percent of the GPs and 73% of the CHS workers had a positive attitude towards routinely offering CF carrier screening, and more than 80% were in favor of informing the target population about the possibility of having a CF carrier test. A positive attitude was associated with (a) high perceived severity of CF (b) religion (nonreligious compared to Reformed), (c) low perceived barriers, and (d) high perceived test reliability. The care providers who are most likely to be involved in a preconceptional CF carrier screening program, i.e. GPs and CHS workers, generally have a positive attitude towards the implementation of such a program.