Abstract
Pharmacogenomics testing is a rapidly expanding field with increasing importance to individualized patient care. However, it remains unclear whether the general public in rural areas would be willing to engage in this service. The objective of this survey was to determine rural community-dwelling members’ perceptions of pharmacogenomics. A questionnaire was developed consisting of five Likert-style questions on knowledge and perceptions of pharmacogenomics, a single multiple-choice question on cost of testing, and a free-response question. Two cohorts received the same questionnaire: attendees at a university-sponsored health fair and patients presenting to two independent community pharmacies in southeastern Idaho. While both showed positive reception to the implementation and value of pharmacogenomics, those at the health fair were more in favor of pharmacogenomics, suggesting a need for greater outreach and education to the general public. The findings suggest that interest of rural community-dwelling individuals may be amenable to the expansion of pharmacogenomics testing.
Highlights
Precision medicine utilizes a patient’s unique genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle to make healthcare decisions
Despite the evidence of gene influence on medication action in the body, the uptake of pharmacogenomics into everyday clinical practice has been slow due to barriers ranging from access in healthcare systems to lack of incorporation into clinical guidelines [3]
In the surveyed rural population, generally positive responses in both university-based healthcare-affiliated individuals and community pharmacy patrons were encouraging for the potential expansion of pharmacogenomics into small communities
Summary
Precision medicine utilizes a patient’s unique genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle to make healthcare decisions. Pharmacogenomics, where medication use and precision medicine intersect, accounts for the genetic variability of drug response. A 2019 systematic review on public perceptions of personalized medicine identified that the core themes of study were familiarity, willingness to use, and perceived benefits and risks. The authors found the public to be cautiously optimistic having limited familiarity with precision medicine [4]. These barriers are not unique to pharmacogenomics and the energy to overcome them will need to come from all stakeholders
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