%0 Journal Article
%T Cancer Genetic Counselor Information Needs for Risk Communication: A Qualitative Evaluation of Interview Transcripts
%A Casey Lynnette Overby
%A Wendy K. Chung
%A George Hripcsak
%A Rita Kukafka
%J Journal of Personalized Medicine
%D 2013
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/jpm3030238
%X Personalized medicine is a model of healthcare that is predictive, personalized, preventive and participatory (¡°P4 Medicine¡±). Genetic counselors are an ideal group to study when designing tools to support cancer P4 Medicine activities more broadly. The goal for this work was to gain a better understanding of the information cancer genetic counselors seek from their patients to facilitate effective information exchange for discussing risk. This was an analysis of a qualitative data set from interviews of eight cancer genetic counselors, recruited from three institutions. Genetic counselors at each site were interviewed using a semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire. A selective coding approach was used to determine major themes associated with genetic counseling information needs for communicating risk. We generated a model for understanding categories of genetic counseling information needs to support risk communication activities. Common activities for risk communication included risk assessment and tailoring communication. Categories of information needs included: (a) clinical patient characteristics, (b) social and cognitive patient characteristics and (c) patient motivation and goals for the genetic counseling session. A logical next step is for this model to inform the design of software systems for pre-visit patient planning and delivering just-in-time educational information to facilitate cancer risk communication activities.
%K cancer genetic counseling
%K information exchange
%K information needs
%K needs assessment
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/3/3/238