PERCEPTION OF PREDICTIVE TESTING FOR HUNTINGTONS-DISEASE BY YOUNG-WOMEN - PREFERRING UNCERTAINTY TO CERTAINTY

Opinions on the implications of predictive testing for Huntington's di sease were evaluated in a group of 169 women (aged 21-35 years) with i nterest in psychosocial issues, but with no special pre-existing knowl edge or training in genetics. Predictive testing for Huntington's dise ase (HD) is considered to be a test case for predictive testing for ot her late onset diseases, monogenic as well as multifactorial disorders . In the hypothetical situation of having a 50% risk for developing HD , about half of the group expressed interest in a predictive test. As to the question of giving results of predictive tests to third parties , the group would be very reluctant to inform the employer or the insu rer, but not their own family. Prenatal testing for late onset disease s was considered acceptable by half of the women; only one quarter of the total group would terminate a pregnancy of a child that might deve lop a late onset disease. The assessment of attitudes towards predicti ve testing was carried out within the context of a global evaluation o f perceived advantages and disadvantages of genetic counselling. The a ttitudes towards predictive testing were systematically associated wit h perceiving 'having more certainty about the future' as an advantage of genetic counselling and with rejecting 'knowing everything in advan ce' as a disadvantage.