The Psychosocial Needs of Women Undergoing Genetic Counseling and Testing for BRCA 1/2
by Susan T. Vadaparampil, PhD & Gwendolyn P. Quinn, PhD 2 CE Credits
Description:
Recent advances in molecular genetics have led to predictive genetic tests that can identify individuals at risk for certain hereditary cancers, such as the genetic mutations that have been identified for breast cancer (BRCA1/2). BRCA1/2 mutation testing is one the most established and widely used of these predictive genetic tests. As the use of these tests moves into mainstream clinical practice, allied health professionals will have need to understand the clinical aspects of genetic counseling as well as the psychosocial needs of women considering and or under-going counseling and testing. This course provides an overview of the genetic counseling process, types of test results, risk management strategies, and psychosocial needs of women during the genetic counseling and testing process.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this course, health professionals will be able to:
- Describe four key elements of a pretest genetic counseling session.
- Recognize the difference between the four possible test outcomes; true positive, true negative, indeterminate and inconclusive results in genetic testing for BRCA 1/2.
- Identify the two strategies for assessing the psychosocial needs of a patient considering genetic counseling and testing for BRCA 1/2.
- Review three risk management strategies for unaffected mutation carriers for BRCA 1/2.
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