Wittner, Victoria
(2023)
Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition’s Genetics/Genomics Toolkit Assessment Survey.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Genetics is a rapidly evolving field, with new care guidelines released often, sometimes every year or even more frequently. As medical providers outside the field are commonly asked to make referral decisions and perform other genetics-based care tasks, it is vital to improving public health to investigate their current knowledge, confidence, and practice as well as to provide and assess supportive resources.
The Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition’s Genetics/Genomics workgroup developed a 53-question Qualtrics survey to assess medical provider genetics-based care informational needs and evaluate their existing recourse the Genetics/Genomics Toolkit. The survey was distributed via email invitations and newsletters to a variety of medical provider organizations in Pennsylvania between January and March 2023. All medical providers who provide care in Pennsylvania were eligible, and respondents were categorized based on demographics and assessed based on Toolkit use and genetics-based care metrics.
The survey collected 35 responses, with 25 included in the final analysis. Almost all providers provided genetics-based care on some level, but non-specialist providers did not feel prepared to provide genetics-based care. Only one non-Genetics Expert provider felt that they had received adequate genetics education. Providers with a systematic genetics education had a better perception of their ability to provide genetics services (4.33/5) than those with an unsystematic education (2.66/5). The assessment of the Toolkit found that few individuals had heard of the Toolkit (4/17), and only one had used it. The Toolkit was viewed positively, although providers preferred information to be presented through live video events. Overall, most practitioners were interested in increasing their cancer genetics knowledge (14/17).
Current genetics education is meeting providers’ perceived needs only among those who specialize in genetics. Dedicated genetics education in post-college schooling is needed and associated with better outcomes, and such efforts would make an impact in improving public health outcomes when combined with ongoing education resources. Despite the broad distribution of the survey invitation, relatively few medical providers responded and meaningfully completed the survey, causing difficulties in comparisons across groups and only preliminary conclusions could be drawn from the survey.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Durst, Andrea | adurst@pitt.edu | adurst | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Mai, Phuong | maip@upmc.edu | PLM18 | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
16 May 2023 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Number of Pages: |
73 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Human Genetics |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Date Deposited: |
16 May 2023 18:37 |
| Last Modified: |
16 May 2023 18:37 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/44743 |
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