To investigate how Australian print news media portray psychiatric genetics. Content and framing ... more To investigate how Australian print news media portray psychiatric genetics. Content and framing analysis of a structured sample of print news items about psychiatric genetics published in Australian newspapers between 1996Â and 2009. Identify dominant discourses about aetiology of mental illness, and perceived clinical outcomes and implications of psychiatric genetics research. We analysed 406Â eligible items about the genetics of psychiatric disorders. News coverage of psychiatric genetics has steadily increased since 1996. Items attributing the aetiology of psychiatric disorders to gene-environment interactions (51%) outnumbered items attributing only genetic (30%) or only environmental factors (20%). Of items that referred to heritability of mental illness, frames of genetic determinism (78%) occurred more frequently than probabilistic frames (22%). Of frames related to genetic prophesy, genetic optimism frames (78%) were used more frequently than frames of genetic pessimism (22%). Psychosocial and ethical implications of psychiatric genetics received comparatively relatively little coverage (23%). The analysis identified 22Â predictions about psychiatric genetic discoveries and the availability of molecular-based interventions in psychiatry, most of which (20/22, 91%) failed to manifest by the predicted year. Excessive optimism about the power of genetic technology in psychiatric health care, perceived clinical benefits, and largely unfulfilled predictions about availability of these benefits could encourage unrealistic expectations about future molecular-based treatment options for mental health.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
Results: There was a wide variability in the quality of the websites reviewed. The Black Dog Inst... more Results: There was a wide variability in the quality of the websites reviewed. The Black Dog Institute website was ranked first by the BWQC and DISCERN instruments. The National Institute of Mental Health website was ranked second by DISCERN and seventh by BWQC. The BWQC ...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using serotonin transporter genotyping as an exampl... more The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using serotonin transporter genotyping as an example, the preparedness of individuals from an urban general population identified with hypothetical genetic risk for a depressive disorder to moderate risk through cognitive or behavioural intervention. It also evaluated endorsement of genetic and environmental causal attributions of mental illness. A qualitative approach using focus group methodology was selected as most appropriate because these issues are relatively unexplored. Participants (n=36) aged > or =18 years from metropolitan Sydney discussed their understanding of the role of genetic and environmental risk factors in mental illness and attitudes towards pre-symptomatic interventions based on genetic risk information. Thirty-six participants attended four focus groups involving 8-10 participants per group. Participants predominantly viewed genetic risk factors for depression as predisposing rather than causal, with environmental risk factors acting as triggers. Hypothetical identification with a genetic variant suggesting predisposition to depression prompted strong interest in seeking further information about predictive genetic testing from medical professionals, willingness to reduce life stress, drugs and alcohol intake, willingness to increase exercise, and willingness to undertake cognitive and behavioural interventions at a pre-symptomatic stage. Mixed views prevailed as to whether stress was a modifiable risk factor. Preventive intervention at a presymptomatic stage of depression was viewed negatively in a minority of participants due to a fatalistic attitude towards a genetic predisposition and attitudes that intervention was futile in the absence of symptoms. There is a likely public demand for preventive mental health interventions for healthy people on the basis of genetic susceptibility if predictive genetic testing becomes available in psychiatry. The findings have implications for general practitioner and public education about predictive genetic testing for susceptibility to common multifactorial disorders for at-risk groups.
To investigate how Australian print news media portray psychiatric genetics. Content and framing ... more To investigate how Australian print news media portray psychiatric genetics. Content and framing analysis of a structured sample of print news items about psychiatric genetics published in Australian newspapers between 1996Â and 2009. Identify dominant discourses about aetiology of mental illness, and perceived clinical outcomes and implications of psychiatric genetics research. We analysed 406Â eligible items about the genetics of psychiatric disorders. News coverage of psychiatric genetics has steadily increased since 1996. Items attributing the aetiology of psychiatric disorders to gene-environment interactions (51%) outnumbered items attributing only genetic (30%) or only environmental factors (20%). Of items that referred to heritability of mental illness, frames of genetic determinism (78%) occurred more frequently than probabilistic frames (22%). Of frames related to genetic prophesy, genetic optimism frames (78%) were used more frequently than frames of genetic pessimism (22%). Psychosocial and ethical implications of psychiatric genetics received comparatively relatively little coverage (23%). The analysis identified 22Â predictions about psychiatric genetic discoveries and the availability of molecular-based interventions in psychiatry, most of which (20/22, 91%) failed to manifest by the predicted year. Excessive optimism about the power of genetic technology in psychiatric health care, perceived clinical benefits, and largely unfulfilled predictions about availability of these benefits could encourage unrealistic expectations about future molecular-based treatment options for mental health.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
Results: There was a wide variability in the quality of the websites reviewed. The Black Dog Inst... more Results: There was a wide variability in the quality of the websites reviewed. The Black Dog Institute website was ranked first by the BWQC and DISCERN instruments. The National Institute of Mental Health website was ranked second by DISCERN and seventh by BWQC. The BWQC ...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using serotonin transporter genotyping as an exampl... more The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using serotonin transporter genotyping as an example, the preparedness of individuals from an urban general population identified with hypothetical genetic risk for a depressive disorder to moderate risk through cognitive or behavioural intervention. It also evaluated endorsement of genetic and environmental causal attributions of mental illness. A qualitative approach using focus group methodology was selected as most appropriate because these issues are relatively unexplored. Participants (n=36) aged > or =18 years from metropolitan Sydney discussed their understanding of the role of genetic and environmental risk factors in mental illness and attitudes towards pre-symptomatic interventions based on genetic risk information. Thirty-six participants attended four focus groups involving 8-10 participants per group. Participants predominantly viewed genetic risk factors for depression as predisposing rather than causal, with environmental risk factors acting as triggers. Hypothetical identification with a genetic variant suggesting predisposition to depression prompted strong interest in seeking further information about predictive genetic testing from medical professionals, willingness to reduce life stress, drugs and alcohol intake, willingness to increase exercise, and willingness to undertake cognitive and behavioural interventions at a pre-symptomatic stage. Mixed views prevailed as to whether stress was a modifiable risk factor. Preventive intervention at a presymptomatic stage of depression was viewed negatively in a minority of participants due to a fatalistic attitude towards a genetic predisposition and attitudes that intervention was futile in the absence of symptoms. There is a likely public demand for preventive mental health interventions for healthy people on the basis of genetic susceptibility if predictive genetic testing becomes available in psychiatry. The findings have implications for general practitioner and public education about predictive genetic testing for susceptibility to common multifactorial disorders for at-risk groups.
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