Healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes towards polygenic risk testing for glaucoma.

Background

Effective clinical implementation of polygenic risk testing for glaucoma relies on healthcare professionals' attitudes and knowledge of the test. Given the emerging applications of the test, it will likely impact a range of healthcare professionals and will require competency in polygenic risk scores concepts for all those involved in patient care. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess healthcare professionals' views towards polygenic testing for glaucoma.

Methods

An online cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to healthcare professionals via relevant professional organisations in Australia. The questionnaire assessed experience and confidence with genetic testing, glaucoma and genetic knowledge, recommendations for the tests, and factors affecting the decision.

Results

A total of 94 participants completed the questionnaire. The sample was composed of ophthalmologists (36%), optometrists (21%), orthoptists (17%), general practitioners (16%) and clinical geneticists/genetic counsellors (10%). Although familiarity with polygenic risk scores for glaucoma was low overall (11%), the majority reported a positive attitude towards recommending testing based on known risk factors such as family history (91%) and older age (57%). Over 95% indicated that ophthalmologists would be the most appropriate group to order polygenic risk testing and communicate results. The majority felt they would benefit from more training on polygenic risk scores (93%).

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that multiple groups of healthcare professionals were neither familiar nor confident with the concept of glaucoma polygenic risk testing, and identified training and education needs to support the implementation of testing into clinical practice.