What makes patients perceive their health care worker as an epistemic authority?

Health care workers' (HCW) perceived epistemic authority (EA) may have an effect on patient decision-making and compliance. The present study investigated the hypotheses that higher EA is attributed to staff perceived to be experts; to physicians rather than nurses; to HCWs who recommend taking a test more than to the ones who make no recommendation. The study was based on a factorial 2 × 2 × 2 within-between subjects design.

Nurse or physician: whose recommendation influences the decision to take genetic tests more?

Aim: This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore factors influencing the decision to take genetic carrier testing.

Background: Genetic testing has become a popular means of elucidating the risk of giving birth to a sick/disabled child but what influences prospective parents to take genetic tests or not is unclear.

Methods: The study was based on a factorial 2 x 2 x 2 within-between subjects design.