Genetic Screening for Alzheimer's Disease: What Factors Predict Intentions to Take a Test?

• Published in: Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 101 - 109
• Main Authors: Frost, Susie, Myers, Lynn B., Newman, Stanton P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Taylor & Francis Group 2001; Heldref; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimers Disease; Beliefs; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Diagnostic tests; Female; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Carrier Screening; Genetic screening; genetic testing; Genetic Testing - psychology; Genetics; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Illness and personality; Intention; Male; Motivation; Personality, behavior and health; Predictions; Predictors; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Questionnaires; Researchers; Students - psychology; Test Results; Theory of Planned Behavior; Undergraduate Students; Alzheimer disease; Sex; Cognition; Knowledge; Genetic determinism; Perceived control; Genetics; Degenerative disease; Age; Belief; Human; Clinical test; Nervous system diseases; Attitude; Medical screening; Experimental study; Student; Ethnic group; Subjective evaluation; Cerebral disorder; Genetic counseling; Sociodemographic factor; Central nervous system disease; Risk factor; Intention; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0896-4289; 1940-4026
• DOI: 10.1080/08964280109595776

The authors investigated factors that predict intention to take a genetic test for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The 449 men and women were surveyed in two groups: (a) those told that a positive result meant a 90% chance of developing AD (increased certainty) and (b) those told that a positive result meant a 50% chance of developing AD (decreased certainty). Participants completed measures of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), anticipated regret, risk perception, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, and AD risk factors. Just over 50% of the variance in intentions was related to TPB variables, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, number of people the participants knew who had AD, experimental condition, and anticipated regret. The subjective norm was the strongest predictor of intention in the increased certainty group, whereas positive belief was the strongest predictor in the decreased certainty group.