Survey on the Awareness of Genetic Testing in Japanese Workers: The Effect of Participant Characteristics on Awareness.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the possibility of utilization of genetic testing and to determine the effect of participant characteristics on genetic testing awareness in Japanese workers. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 998 workers from two companies located in Kyusyu, Japan, from June to July, 2014. We examined the participant characteristics and genetic testing awareness using paper questionnaires. Ultimately, the data from 737 subjects (73.8%) was included in our analysis. RESULTS: Regarding participant characteristics, the percentage of respondents who replied "I have heard of genetic testing" (including knowledge about genetic testing) and "I would like to have genetic testing" were 82.5% and 58.2%, respectively. A significant age difference in genetic testing awareness was also observed in our study. Logistic regression analysis revealed both significant adjust odds ratios (ORs) of 3.02 (95% CI 1.67-5.46) and 3.82 (95% CI 1.71-8.53) in the 40-49-year-old group and the over 50 year old group, respectively, compared with the 20-29-year-old group. In addition, females and the participants who graduated from graduate schools showed greater interest in genetic testing. CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed that about 80% of Japanese workers know about genetic testing and about 60% would like to have a test. The results of our survey also suggest that the awareness of genetic testing is influenced by participant characteristics, namely age, sex, and education.