Factors Affecting Consent Rate for Whole Genome Sequencing of Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

The Whole Genome Sequencing Project initiated by The Hospital for Sick Children of Toronto intents to enroll patients between one to eighteen years of age with congenital heart disease to test the efficiency of such a method for potential personalized diagnoses and treatments. Twenty-five randomly approached patients were chosen to be observed of their consent rate to the project based on factors of age, gender, ethnicity, presence of heart diseases in the patient’s family, and type of congenital heart disease represented. Females and ethnicities not of European descent are considered to be a part of the minority groups, generally being under represented thus having a lower consent rate. There were no significant correlations between consent rates and familial history of heart disease, type of heart disease and age groups. All these findings can aid in future studies of the SickKids Hospital; which patients should be approached for higher consent rates, and the inclusivity of minority groups to alleviate bias in medical studies.