Which disease and individual-based factors predict intentions to undergo whole genome sequencing?

Purpose: The past decade has seen rapid acceleration in the public’s access to Whole Genome Se- quencing (WGS) technology, however, factors that may influence a person’s decision to undergo this complex health screening have received little empirical attention. This is the first psychoso- cial study to investigate which disease and individual-based factors predict intention to undergo WGS. Methods: A total of 164 first-year university students responded to hypothetical disease scenarios (varied by disease penetrance and treatment availability) and completed self-report measures of individual factors. Results: Intention to undergo WGS was significantly higher in the presence of available treatment and high disease penetrance (p < 0.05). There was also a signifi- cant interaction between treatment and disease penetrance on intention (p < 0.001). Task self-ef- ficacy, positive outcome expectancy and attitude towards uncertainty all significantly predicted WGS intention (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Treatability and disease penetrance appear to be two dis- tinct motivations that can also interact to influence intention to pursue WGS. Task self-efficacy, positive outcome expectancies and uncertainty avoidance are likely to motivate intention to pur- sue WGS in young healthy adults. These findings will be useful in informing the optimal design of WGS psycho-educational resources and screening provider protocols.