Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Genetic Testing among the Adult Population of Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Improving people’s knowledge and fostering positive attitudes are essential to increase the uptake of genetic testing. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude and practice regarding genetic testing among the adult population of Nepal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried among 371 individuals through an online survey with a self-constructed structured tool. Adults were contacted through the social network and invited for participation using various forms of social medias including Facebook, Viber, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. Binary and multiple logistic regression analysis was carried for data analysis using SPSS version 20.

Results: About 80% of respondents demonstrated a low level of knowledge regarding genetic testing, while nearly two-thirds had a positive attitude toward it. Only two participants had ever undergone genetic testing for a genetic disease. Knowledge was significantly associated with age, educational level, occupation, marital status, and socioeconomic status. Individuals with higher educational attainment had greater odds of possessing moderate to high knowledge. Participants with a family history of genetic disease were 2.6 times more likely to have higher knowledge, whereas those from lower socioeconomic groups were 2.9 times more likely to have a negative attitude toward genetic testing.

Conclusion: Knowledge regarding genetic testing among the general Nepalese population was low with a very negligible practice of genetic testing. However, they had positive attitude towards genetic testing. Public health strategies must therefore integrate improved access with comprehensive health education interventions to bridge the gap between attitude and practice.