Table 2: Averaged Scored Response (Mean +/− SD) to Likert Scale Questions by Different Groups of Participants.
(value 1=strongly disagree; value 5=strongly agree). One-Way ANOVA statistics with Tukey post-hoc analysis for comparison between the groups showed:
| Question | Practicing Genetic Counselors | Genetic Counseling Students | Practicing Physicians | Medical Students | Laboratory Scientists | Degrees of freedom | F-value | p-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Everyone should receive ES at birth. | 1.6 ± 0.6 ¶, ⁊ | 1.6 ± 1.2 ¶ | 1.7 ± 0.9 ¶ | 2.8 ± 1.2 †, ‡, § | 2.8 ± 1.1 † | 4 | 7.202 | 0.000 | ||
| 2. prenatal ES should never be used. | 1.1 ± 0.3 | 1.5 ± 0.8 | 1.4 ± 0.7 | 1.5 ± 0.9 | 1.7 ± 1.3 | 4 | 0.929 | 0.451 | ||
| 3. Invasive prenatal testing should be offered to every pregnant woman. | 4.2 ± 1.1 | 4.4 ± 0.7 | 3.6 ± 1.4 | 3.3 ± 1.3 | 3.3 ± 0.9 | 4 | 2.221 | 0.074 | ||
| 4. Prospective parents should be able to request prenatal ES without medical indication. | 2.4 ± 1.1 ¶ | 2.6 ± 1.4 | 2.7 ± 1.5 | 3.6 ± 1.3 † | 3.6 ± 1.2 | 4 | 3.077 | 0.020 | ||
| 5. prenatal ES should be the first diagnostic genetic test ordered in the context of an abnormal mid-pregnancy ultrasound. | 1.6 ± 0.8 ¶, ⁊ | 1.9 ± 1.1 ⁊ | 2.3 ± 1.2 ⁊ | 2.6 ± 0.8 †, ⁊ | 3.9 ± 1.1 †, , §, ¶ | 4 | 8.443 | 0.000 | ||
| 6. prenatal ES should be the genetic test ordered in the context of an abnormal mid-pregnancy ultrasound BUT only after karyotyping + CMA fails to identify an underlying genetic etiology. | 4.0 ± 1.1 | 3.6 ± 1.1 | 4.2 ± 0.8 | 4.1 ± 0.6 | 3.8 ± 1.3 | 4 | 0.806 | 0.525 | ||
| 7. prenatal ES should be the first diagnostic genetic test ordered in the context of a positive combined first screen for trisomy 21. | 1.0 ± 0.0 §, ¶, ⁊ | 1.5 ± 0.8 ¶, ⁊ | 2.3 ± 1.3 †, ¶, ⁊ | 3.2 ± 1.1 †, , § | 3.7 ± 1.1 †, , § | 4 | 15.669 | 0.000 | ||
| 8. prenatal ES should always be used in the context of advanced maternal age (35 years +). | 1.2 ± 0.4 ¶, ⁊ | 1.4 ± 0.6 ¶, ⁊ | 1.9 ± 1.1 ⁊ | 2.6 ± 1.2 | 3.2 ± 1.2 †, , § | 4 | 8.936 | 0.000 | ||
| 9. prenatal ES should be offered to every prospective mother in her first trimester. | 1.6 ± 0.6 ¶, ⁊ | 1.5 ± 0.8 ⁊ | 1.8 ± 0.9 ¶, ⁊ | 2.7 ± 1.6 †, , § | 3.1 ± 1.2 †, , § | 4 | 5.796 | 0.000 | ||
| 10. prenatal ES should be offered to every prospective mother in her second trimester. | 1.6 ± 0.6 ¶, ⁊ | 1.7 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 1.0 ¶ | 2.7 ± 1.5 †, § | 3.0 ± 1.1 † | 4 | 4.610 | 0.002 | ||
| 11. ES should be performed on stillbirths. | 2.8 ± 1.2 | 2.1 ± 1.4 | 3.4 ± 1.5 | 3.3 ± 1.3 | 3.8 ± 1.3 | 4 | 2.185 | 0.078 | ||
† = significant difference compared to genetic counselors;
‡ = significant difference compared to genetic counseling students;
§ = significant difference compared to practicing physicians.
¶ = significant difference compared to medical students.
⁊ = significant difference compared to laboratory scientists.
Significant difference is defined as a P value < 0.05. Between groups degrees of freedom, F values, and P values are listed. Abbreviations: ES, exome sequencing; CMA, chromosomal microarray analysis.