| As Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) technology expands, it is likely that it will increasingly be utilized for personalized medicine. Prior research suggests that individuals value the ability to make choices when learning WGS results. However, whether or not there is a correlation between life stage and the amount of information desired has not been explored. This study utilized an online questionnaire to collect opinions about personal WGS results from the general public (N=275) and the independent variables of gender, age, and parental status were used to stratify responses. Males desired information about a greater number of conditions than females, participants ≥41 yo were most likely to want to learn about neurological diseases, and non-parents were more interested in learning about carrier status than child-rearing individuals. The findings of this study suggest that differences exist based on life stage factors and accordingly this should be considered when delivering WGS results. |
