Community Genet. 2008;11(6):352-8. Epub 2008 Aug 5.

Family physicians' beliefs about genetic contributions to racial/ethnic and gender differences in health and clinical decision-making.

Warshauer-Baker E, Bonham VL, Jenkins J, Stevens N, Page Z, Odunlami A, McBride CM.

Source

Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0249, USA.

Abstract

Greater attention towards genetics as a contributor to group health differences may lead to inappropriate use of race/ethnicity and gender as genetic heuristics and exacerbate health disparities. As part of a web-based survey, 1,035 family physicians (FPs) rated the contribution of genetics and environment to racial/ethnic and gender differences in health outcomes, and the importance of race/ethnicity and gender in their clinical decision-making. FPs attributed racial/ethnic and gender differences in health outcomes equally to environment and genetics. These beliefs were not associated with rated importance of race/ethnicity or gender in clinical decision-making. FPs appreciate the complexity of genetic and environmental influences on health differences by race/ethnicity and gender.