Genetic Predisposition
A genetic predisposition is the increased likelihood or chance of developing a particular disease due to the presence of one or more gene mutations and/or a family history that indicates an increased risk of the disease (National Cancer Institute n.d.) . The impact of knowing your genetic propensity to develop a disease can have positive and negative consequences. Information can enhance or reduce people’s sense that they understand the world around them (Sharot et al. 2020). According to the Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), all diseases or medical conditions have a genetic component (2019). It is estimated that 3-7% of the general population will be diagnosed with a recognized genetic disorder, not including common disorders such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and psychiatric disorders ASHG 2019). Positive impacts of knowing genetic propensity include earlier detection, by identifying genetic predisposition to a particular disease, new approaches to treatment, and development of designer drugs that target a mutation or its products (ASHG 2019).
Negative impacts of knowing the genetic propensity of a person to develop a disease include anxiety and stress as genetic testing will not definitively tell whether you will develop a particular health condition, it only tells the risk levels. Another negative possibility is that of genetic discrimintation. Although it is illegal to discriminate someone due to their genetic information, it may be allowed under some narrow circumstances according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (n.d)
A Health Impact Assessment is a process that helps evaluate the potential health effects of a plan, project, or policy before it is built or implemented. It can also provide practical recommendations to increase positive health effects and minimize negative health effects(CDC 2016). Applying genetic information of a certain population of people, such as those prone to obesity would definitely play a role in a health impact assessment.
References
American Society of Human Genetics. (2019, November 21). American Society of Human Genetics. ASHG. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.ashg.org/discover-genetics/testing-privacy/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, September 19). Healthy places. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/hia.htm
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