Abstract

BackgroundThe heritability of several psychiatric disorders is high, and specific at‐risk variants have been identified. Therefore, genetic counseling and genetic testing can be prescribed to some psychiatric patients, but these services are not standardized for most of the population. The aims of the study were to gather opinions from mental health professionals and users regarding (a) the genetics of psychiatric disorders and (b) the usefulness of a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry.MethodsThe survey was conducted in the province of Tarragona (Spain), and we analyzed 152 valid questionnaires from professionals and 959 from users.ResultsSixty‐one percent of professionals strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, and 59% rated a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry as very or extremely useful. However, only a few professionals reported that patients asked them about the genetics of their diseases (12%) or the possibility of transmitting the disease to offspring (19%). Forty‐seven percent of users strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, 30% responded that they talked with their families about the genetics of their diseases, and 43% were worried about transmitting the disease to offspring; however, only 14% reported that their psychiatrist had talked to them about this topic. Remarkably, 80% of users would consider a genetic counseling unit very or extremely useful.ConclusionsThe present study showed that mental health professionals were more aware of the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders than users, and both considered the implementation of a genetic counseling service very useful.

Highlights

  • A substantial amount of evidence confirms the importance of genetic contributions to mental illnesses

  • We developed two questionnaires, one directed at psychiatric health professionals and another directed at patients and relatives, to survey their opinions about the genetics of psychiatric disorders and to explore the possible demand for a genetic counseling service focused on psychiatric disorders

  • We obtained 152 and 959 valid questionnaires from professionals and users, respectively, which represented 21% of the invited professionals and 64% of the questionnaires delivered to users (Figure 1)

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Summary

Introduction

A substantial amount of evidence confirms the importance of genetic contributions to mental illnesses. The aims of the study were to gather opinions from mental health professionals and users regarding (a) the genetics of psychiatric disorders and (b) the usefulness of a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry. Results: Sixty‐one percent of professionals strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, and 59% rated a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry as very or extremely useful. Forty‐seven percent of users strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, 30% responded that they talked with their families about the genetics of their diseases, and 43% were worried about transmitting the disease to offspring; only 14% reported that their psychiatrist had talked to them about this topic. Conclusions: The present study showed that mental health professionals were more aware of the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders than users, and both considered the implementation of a genetic counseling service very useful

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