Psychological characteristics of Japanese patients and their family members receiving genetic counseling: A single-institute exploratory study.

In Japan, clinical genetic services became available in the 1970s, and genomic medicine, including genetic counseling (GC), developed rapidly. However, research on the outcomes of GC in Japan is limited. Japan has a unique cultural context, and appropriate GC methods have not yet been optimized for this population. The current study aimed to evaluate the psychological status of Japanese patients and their companions undergoing GC and the outcomes of GC. We used the Quality of Care Through the Patients' Eyes-gene cancer (QUOTE-geneCA ), the Genetic Counseling Outcome Scale-24 (GCOS-24), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to evaluate patients and their companions' needs and preferences regarding GC, empowerment, and anxiety, respectively. We evaluated stress status during GC by measuring saliva cortisol levels. QUOTE-geneCA results for patients (n = 69) and a group of patients and their companions (n = 96) revealed that participants felt that it was important that skilled medical staff explained medical information and provided advice in an easily understandable manner. Japanese patients and their companions regarded the procedural aspects of counseling as most important and their autonomy in decision-making as less important. GCOS-24 results revealed a significant increase in empowerment scores in 38 patients (by 9.63 points) from pre- to post-GC (p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.79). STAI results revealed a significant decrease in state anxiety for patients (6.11 points; p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.66). Cortisol levels in patients significantly decreased after GC (p = 0.001). The improvement of empowerment scores from pre- to post-GC among patients and their companions were significantly negatively correlated with pre-GC empowerment scores (p < 0.001), trait anxiety scores (p = 0.001), and the number of people living together (p = 0.011). The change of cortisol levels during GC in patients and their companions was significantly positively correlated with trait anxiety score (p = 0.027). This study suggested that these characteristics of Japanese patients and their companions may predict GC outcomes.