Comparison of the genetic knowledge among nurses, students, and general public after ten years of implementation of genetic health program in Taiwan.

Abstract

This study aims to explore the genetic knowledge of different health professional, and non-professional populations after ten years of implementation of genetic health program in Taiwan. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to test the genetic knowledge of 885 respondent who included 361 community health nurses, 74 maternal-child nurses, 364 college students, and 86 members of the general public. The questionnaire included 33 questions which were divided into 4 categories (1) basic genetic knowledge, (2) Mendel's Law and probability, (3) prenatal diagnosis, (4) identification of common genetic disorders. The responses were scored and analyzed statistically with ANOVA tests. Community health nurses had the highest scores of genetic knowledge. However, they need more practice in the application of Mendel's Law and probability. Maternal-child nurses should be involved in genetic education programs and improve their ability to identify common genetic disorders and thus increase their ability to identify cases and provide better information to patients and families. Compared to other groups, college students had lower scores in prenatal diagnosis and identification of common genetic disorders. Therefore, college curricula in genetics need to emphasize more on these subjects. From the study, it was concluded that community health nurses are effective and competent to continue the genetic education as supported by the government in the past ten years. Maternal-child nurses are inevitably involved in genetic service, and they should be provided with suitable continuing education programs. The general public should strengthen their knowledge of prenatal diagnosis and common genetic disorders. Prenatal diagnosis should be added in the school curriculum of college students to expand their knowledge. New genetic technology, such as DNA analysis, should be added in the content of genetic education programs.