Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes
Objective: This study investigated functional health literacy and attitudes toward genetic testing among Chinese college students to understand if they can make informed decisions and avoid potential risks. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted with students from 13 colleg...
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552500172X |
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| author | Jiaming Wang Ruoru Lin Sijing Luo Beilei Zhong Yuran Zhu Jiayi Huang Dangui Zhang William Ba-Thein |
| author_facet | Jiaming Wang Ruoru Lin Sijing Luo Beilei Zhong Yuran Zhu Jiayi Huang Dangui Zhang William Ba-Thein |
| author_sort | Jiaming Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: This study investigated functional health literacy and attitudes toward genetic testing among Chinese college students to understand if they can make informed decisions and avoid potential risks. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted with students from 13 colleges in Guangdong province during October–November 2021. Results: Of the 1543 participants, 53.9 % were female, predominantly undergraduates (97.2 %). Most students reported being health-conscious (76.6 %), less religious (60.3 %), possessing health esteem (76.4 %), and having parents in non-healthcare occupations (89.1 %). The median score for functional genetic literacy was 10 out of 17. Most (91.4 %) expressed positive attitudes toward genetic testing, with 65.1 % favoring direct-to-consumer options. The most preferred tests were predictive (83.3 %) and premarital/preconception tests (76.4 %). Multiple linear regression analysis showed independent predictors of functional genetic literacy as female gender (Beta, 95 %CI: 0.26, 0.02–0.49), medicine major (1.51, 1.27–1.74), health-esteem personality trait (0.34, 0.06–0.62), lower religiosity (0.66, 0.49–0.83), and lower perceived financial status (0.47, 0.21–0.73). Logistic regression analysis identified independent predictors of positive attitude toward genetic testing as self-respect personality (adjusted odds ratio, 95 %CI: 1.81, 1.23–2.66), lower perceived financial status (0.57, 0.38–0.83), and parental occupation in non-healthcare (0.38, 0.17–0.89). Conclusions: Guangdong college students were mostly positive toward genetic testing, particularly predictive and premarital options. However, their limited functional genetic testing literacy may hinder informed decision-making. To address ethical, legal, and social implications, China should strengthen public education, promote the genetic counseling profession and enhance regulatory oversight in the genetic testing industry. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a00d67aef1cd4795b4ba17f9dae5d7ad |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-a00d67aef1cd4795b4ba17f9dae5d7ad2025-07-17T04:44:18ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552025-08-0156103133Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudesJiaming Wang0Ruoru Lin1Sijing Luo2Beilei Zhong3Yuran Zhu4Jiayi Huang5Dangui Zhang6William Ba-Thein7Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Department of Dermatology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of ChinaUndergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; School of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaUndergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaUndergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaUndergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaUndergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaResearch Center of Translational Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Corresponding author at: Research Center of Translational Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Dongxia Road 69, Shantou 515041, People's Republic of China.Clinical Research Unit, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China; Corresponding author at: Clinical Research Unit, and Dept. of Microbiology/Immunology, Shantou University Medical College, Xinling Road 22, Shantou 515041, People's Republic of China.Objective: This study investigated functional health literacy and attitudes toward genetic testing among Chinese college students to understand if they can make informed decisions and avoid potential risks. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted with students from 13 colleges in Guangdong province during October–November 2021. Results: Of the 1543 participants, 53.9 % were female, predominantly undergraduates (97.2 %). Most students reported being health-conscious (76.6 %), less religious (60.3 %), possessing health esteem (76.4 %), and having parents in non-healthcare occupations (89.1 %). The median score for functional genetic literacy was 10 out of 17. Most (91.4 %) expressed positive attitudes toward genetic testing, with 65.1 % favoring direct-to-consumer options. The most preferred tests were predictive (83.3 %) and premarital/preconception tests (76.4 %). Multiple linear regression analysis showed independent predictors of functional genetic literacy as female gender (Beta, 95 %CI: 0.26, 0.02–0.49), medicine major (1.51, 1.27–1.74), health-esteem personality trait (0.34, 0.06–0.62), lower religiosity (0.66, 0.49–0.83), and lower perceived financial status (0.47, 0.21–0.73). Logistic regression analysis identified independent predictors of positive attitude toward genetic testing as self-respect personality (adjusted odds ratio, 95 %CI: 1.81, 1.23–2.66), lower perceived financial status (0.57, 0.38–0.83), and parental occupation in non-healthcare (0.38, 0.17–0.89). Conclusions: Guangdong college students were mostly positive toward genetic testing, particularly predictive and premarital options. However, their limited functional genetic testing literacy may hinder informed decision-making. To address ethical, legal, and social implications, China should strengthen public education, promote the genetic counseling profession and enhance regulatory oversight in the genetic testing industry.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552500172XDirect-to-consumer genetic testsInformed consentFunctional health literacyCollege studentsChina |
| spellingShingle | Jiaming Wang Ruoru Lin Sijing Luo Beilei Zhong Yuran Zhu Jiayi Huang Dangui Zhang William Ba-Thein Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes Preventive Medicine Reports Direct-to-consumer genetic tests Informed consent Functional health literacy College students China |
| title | Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| title_full | Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| title_fullStr | Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| title_short | Genetic testing and Guangdong college students in China: A cross-sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| title_sort | genetic testing and guangdong college students in china a cross sectional study of knowledge and attitudes |
| topic | Direct-to-consumer genetic tests Informed consent Functional health literacy College students China |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552500172X |
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