Genetic counselors and research: current practices and future directions.

Members of the genetic counseling community have debated the need for doctoral degree programs to further advance the profession. However, genetic counselors' interest in conducting independent research and attitudes toward obtaining a doctoral degree in genetic counseling has not been assessed in more than a decade. We designed a comprehensive web-based survey to characterize the current research values and practices of genetic counselors.

Genetics and alcoholism among at-risk relatives II: interest and concerns about hypothetical genetic testing for alcoholism risk.

One purpose of this study was to examine hypothetical interest in genetic predisposition testing for alcoholism among at-risk relatives. Qualitative interviews and several quantitative tools were administered to 27 individuals who had at least one first-degree relative affected by alcoholism. Data analysis revealed that participants' interest in genetic testing for susceptibility to alcoholism was moderate.

Genetics and alcoholism among at-risk relatives I: perceptions of cause, risk, and control.

Genetic factors influence a person's risk for developing alcoholism. In other common disorders with a genetic component, a belief in a genetic cause can lead to less perceived control or fatalism among those at risk that may adversely affect undertaking health-promoting behaviors. This study explores beliefs about the cause of alcoholism and risk perception among individuals with affected relatives.

Informed consent for research on stored blood and tissue samples: a survey of institutional review board practices.

Numerous position papers have outlined informed consent recommendations for the collection, storage, and future use of biological samples; however, there currently is no consensus regarding what kinds of information should be included in consent forms. This study aimed to determine whether institutional review boards (IRBs) vary in their informed consent requirements for research on stored biological samples, and whether any variation observed could be correlated to factors such as volume of work, IRB members' familiarity with ethical issues in genetic research, and IRBs' use of either of two policy guidelines as resources. A brief survey was mailed to all IRB chairpersons on a mailing list obtained from the Office for Human Research Protections.