Delivery of Internet-based cancer genetic counselling services to patients' homes: a feasibility study
Abstract
We examined the feasibility of home videoconferencing for providing cancer genetic education and risk information to people at risk. Adults with possible hereditary colon or breast and ovarian cancer syndromes were offered Internet-based counselling. Participants were sent web cameras and software to install on their home PCs. They watched a prerecorded educational video and then took part in a live counselling session with a genetic counsellor. A total of 31 participants took part in Internet counselling sessions. Satisfaction with counselling was high in all domains studied, including technical (mean 4.3 on a 1–5 scale), education (mean 4.7), communication (mean 4.8), psychosocial (mean 4.1) and overall (mean 4.2). Qualitative data identified technical aspects that could be improved. All participants reported that they would recommend Internet-based counselling to others. Internet-based genetic counselling is feasible and associated with a high level of satisfaction among participants.
Get full access to this article
View all access and purchase options for this article.
References
1. Eng C, Hampel H, de la Chapelle A. Genetic testing for cancer predisposition. Annu Rev Med 2001;52:371–400
2. Collins FS. Shattuck lecture – medical and societal consequences of the Human Genome Project. N Engl J Med 1999;341:28–37
3. Myers MF, Chang MH, Jorgensen C, et al. Genetic testing for susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer: evaluating the impact of a direct-to-consumer marketing campaign on physicians' knowledge and practices. Genet Med 2006;8:361–70
4. Lowery JT, Byers T, Axell L, Ku L, Jacobellis J. The impact of direct-to-consumer marketing of cancer genetic testing on women according to their genetic risk. Genet Med 2008;10:888–94
5. Wideroff L, Vadaparampil ST, Greene MH, Taplin S, Olson L, Freedman AN. Hereditary breast/ovarian and colorectal cancer genetics knowledge in a national sample of US physicians. J Med Genet 2005;42:749–55
6. Gray RE, James P, Manthorne J, Gould J, Fitch MI. A consultation with Canadian rural women with breast cancer. Health Exp 2004;7:40–50
7. Coelho JJ, Arnold A, Nayler J, Tischkowitz M, MacKay J. An assessment of the efficacy of cancer genetic counselling using real-time videoconferencing technology (telemedicine) compared to face-to-face consultations. Eur J Cancer 2005;41:2257–61
8. Mitchell JA, Demiris G. Telegenetics: the next phase in the provision of genetics services? Genet Med 2005;7:1–2
9. Lea DH, Johnson JL, Ellingwood S, Allan W, Patel A, Smith R. Telegenetics in Maine: successful clinical and educational service delivery model developed from a 3-year pilot project. Genet Med 2005;7:21–7
10. Gattas MR, MacMillan JC, Meinecke I, Loane M, Wootton R. Telemedicine and clinical genetics: establishing a successful service. J Telemed Telecare 2001;7 (Suppl. 2):68–70
11. Calzone KA, Prindiville SA, Jourkiv O, et al. Randomized comparison of group versus individual genetic education and counseling for familial breast and/or ovarian cancer. J Clin Oncol 2005;23:3455–64
12. Gray J, Brain K, Iredale R, Alderman J, France E, Hughes H. A pilot study of telegenetics. J Telemed Telecare 2000;6:245–7
13. Mackay J, Taylor A. Moving genetics into clinical cancer care: examples from BRCA gene testing and telemedicine. Breast 2006;15 (Suppl. 2):S65–70
14. Abrams DJ, Geier MR. A comparison of patient satisfaction with telehealth and on-site consultations: a pilot study for prenatal genetic counseling. J Genet Couns 2006;15:199–205
15. Hall MJ, Olopade OI. Disparities in genetic testing: thinking outside the box. J Clin Oncol 2006;24:2197–203
16. Horrigan J. Home broadband 2008. Available from http://www.pewinternet.org (last checked 5 August 2010)
17. Horrigan J, Murray K. Home broadband adoption in rural america. Available from http://www.pewinternet.org (last checked 5 August 2010)
Cite article
Cite article
Cite article
OR
Download to reference manager
If you have citation software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice
Information, rights and permissions
Information
Published In
Article first published online: January 1, 2011
Issue published: January 2011
History
Manuscript accepted: August 5, 2010
Published online: January 1, 2011
Issue published: January 2011
PubMed: 21097566
Authors
Metrics and citations
Metrics
Journals metrics
This article was published in Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare.
VIEW ALL JOURNAL METRICSArticle usage*
Total views and downloads: 165
*Article usage tracking started in December 2016
Articles citing this one
Web of Science: 36 view articles Opens in new tab
Crossref: 36
- Comparing cancer genetic counselling using telegenetics with in-person...
- Factors Influencing Patient Preferences for Telehealth Cancer Genetic ...
- “There’s a huge benefit just to know that someone cares:” a qualitativ...
- Telehealth for genetic counseling: A systematic evidence review
- Patients’ and professionals’ perspective of non-in-person visits in he...
- Benefits and limitations of telegenetics: A literature review
- Sudden shift to remote genetic counseling during the COVID‐19 pandemic...
- The role of the genetic testing industry in patient education of hered...
- Barriers and Facilitators to Genetic Service Delivery Models: Scoping ...
- Adapting Genetic Counseling Practice to Different Models of Service De...
- Modes of Delivering Psychotherapy
- Telegenetics and other care models
- Systematic review of patient and caregivers’ satisfaction with telehea...
- Factors influencing use of telegenetic counseling: perceptions of heal...
- Genetic Counseling and Testing in a Community Setting: Quality, Access...
- Perspectives on Genetic Testing and Return of Results from the First C...
- Next-Generation Service Delivery: A Scoping Review of Patient Outcomes...
- Operationalizing the Reciprocal Engagement Model of Genetic Counseling...
- Early Outcome Data Assessing Utility of a Post-Test Genomic Counseling...
- Genetic Counselors’ Experiences and Interest in Telegenetics and Remot...
- Comparing Outcomes of Genetic Counseling Options in Breast and Ovarian...
- Benefits and Challenges of Telemedicine: the JScreen Program Experienc...
- Analysis of Advantages, Limitations, and Barriers of Genetic Counselin...
- Online genetic counseling from the providers’ perspective: counselors’...
- Telegenetics use in presymptomatic genetic counselling: patient evalua...
- Utilizing Remote Real-Time Videoconferencing to Expand Access to Cance...
- Evolving Roles for Physicians and Genetic Counselors in Managing Compl...
- Improving Referral for Genetic Risk Assessment in Ovarian Cancer Using...
- Public Trust in Genomic Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
- Acceptability of Telemedicine and Other Cancer Genetic Counseling Mode...
- Communication and technology in genetic counseling for familial cancer
- Report from the National Society of Genetic Counselors Service Deliver...
- The evolution of personalized cancer genetic counseling in the era of ...
- Telegenetics: a systematic review of telemedicine in genetics services
- E-genetics: exploring the acceptability and feasibility of using techn...
- Cancer genetic risk assessment for individuals at risk of familial bre...
Figures and tables
Figures & Media
Tables
View Options
Get access
Access options
If you have access to journal content via a personal subscription, university, library, employer or society, select from the options below:
loading institutional access options
Alternatively, view purchase options below:
Purchase 24 hour online access to view and download content.
Access journal content via a DeepDyve subscription or find out more about this option.
