Genetic Dilemmas in Primary Care: An Educational Program

This project will develop, produce, disseminate and evaluate a one-hour educational videotape for primary care clinicians (physicians, nurses, others) on the clinically relevant science and counseling skills needed to provide accurate and sensitive clinical genetic services. Specific goals are to: 1) provide basic scientific information about genetic medicine; 2) increase awareness of how patients understand and use probabilistic information; 3) motivate clinicians to make attitudinal and behavioral adjustments required by the psychosocial complexity of genetic medicine; 4) provide specific clinical techniques for patient decision-support; and 5) serve as a catalyst for the development of ethical, legal and clinical standards in genetic services. The program will be developed with substantial input from a multi-disciplinary panel of experts and will be disseminated by cable broadcast, hospital satellite hook up, CME/CE courses, professional association meetings, and videocassette distribution. It will be accompanied by a printed viewer's guide to facilitate further self-directed or group education.