Many individuals who attend genetic counselling perceive themselves as
having a duty to disseminate the information they obtain to other rel
atives. Given that individuals often experience difficulty in recallin
g the information they receive during consultations, it can be argued
that there is a potential for the miscommunication of genetic informat
ion within families. This study investigated women's perceptions and u
se of written summaries of genetic consultations. 40 women were interv
iewed following their attendance at genetic counseling for breast/ovar
ian cancer, Attitudes about the written summaries and the disseminatio
n of these summaries within the family are described. 92% said that th
e summary aided their understanding and/or recall of information. 85%
said they had used, or intended to use, the written summary to facilit
ate the communication of genetic information to other biological relat
ives. Some potential disadvantages of the use of written summaries of
genetic consultations will also be discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc
e Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.