Chapter 14. Test Results: Communication and Counseling

  1. Neil F. Sharpe4,
  2. Prof. Dr. Ronald F. Carter PhD., FCCMG., FACMG Director5,6
  1. Julianne M. O'daniel MS, CGC Assistant Director1,
  2. Allyn McConkie-Rosell PhD, CGC Assistant Professor2,
  3. Patricia T. Kelly3

Published Online: 4 JAN 2006

DOI: 10.1002/0471748897.ch14

Book Title

Genetic Testing: Care, Consent, and Liability

Genetic Testing: Care, Consent, and Liability

Additional Information

How to Cite

Sharpe, N. F. and Carter, R. F. (2006) Test Results: Communication and Counseling, in Genetic Testing: Care, Consent, and Liability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA. doi: 10.1002/0471748897.ch14

Author Information

  1. 4

    Genetic Testing Research Group, 117 Inchbury Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8R 3B7; 1-905-529-2036; 1-905-577-6446 (fax)

  2. 5

    Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, HSC 3N15, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; 1-905-521-5084; 1-905-521-2651 (fax)

  3. 6

    Genetic Services, Hamilton Health Sciences, Canada

Author Information

  1. 1

    Educational and Training Programs, Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

  2. 2

    Division of Medical Genetics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA

  3. 3

    824 Cragmont Avenue Berkeley, California 94708, USA

Publication History

  1. Published Online: 4 JAN 2006
  2. Published Print: 11 NOV 2005

ISBN Information

Print ISBN: 9780471649878

Online ISBN: 9780471748892

SEARCH

CHAPTER TOOLS

Get PDF (324K)

Keywords:

  • absolute risk;
  • a priori risk;
  • carrier risk;
  • clinical significance;
  • communication;
  • comprehension;
  • counseling;
  • detection rate;
  • empathy;
  • ethnicity;
  • interpretation;
  • positive predictive value;
  • psychosocial;
  • relative risk;
  • risk communication;
  • risk interpretation;
  • risk of recurrence;
  • sensitivity;
  • significance;
  • specificity;
  • stigmatization

Summary

Empathetic communication of test results to a patient is critical. Testing may be useless unless the resulting communication and counseling are effective. The goal is to ensure that the test information is appropriately enrolled in both the care of the patient and the patient's perception of health. Practical techniques for ensuring effective counseling are provided, together with descriptions of resources available to the health care professional. A detailed discussion of counseling and health care objectives in testing for cancer syndromes is presented.

Get PDF (324K)