Consumer health informatics aspects of direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing

Abstract

This paper uses consumer health informatics as a framework to explore whether and how direct-to-consumerpersonal genomic testing can be regarded as a form of information which assists consumers to manage their health. It presents findings from qualitative content analysis of web sites that offer testing services, and of transcripts from focus groups conducted as part a study of the Australian public's expectations of personal genomics. Content analysis showed that service offerings have some features of consumer health information but lack consistency. Focus group participants were mostly unfamiliar with the specifics of test reports and related information services. Some of their ideas abou..