Appendix A.

Full text of genome sequencing knowledge items.

Sequencing limitations knowledge subscale

Once a variant in a gene that affects a person’s risk of a disease is found, that disease can always be prevented or cured.*

A health care provider can tell a person their exact chance of developing a disease based on the results from genome sequencing.*

Scientists know how all variants of genes will affect a person’s chances of developing diseases.*

Even if a person has a variant in a gene that affects their risk of a disease, they may not develop that disease.

Genome sequencing is a routine test that most people can have through their physician’s office.*

Sequencing benefits knowledge subscale

Genome sequencing may find variants in a person’s genes that they can pass on to their children.

Genome sequencing may give a person information about their chances of developing several different diseases.

Genome sequencing may find variants in a person’s genes that will increase their chance of developing a disease in their lifetime.

Genome sequencing may find variants in a person’s genes that will decrease their chance of developing a disease in their lifetime.

Genome sequencing may find variants in a person’s genes that may determine how they respond to certain medicines.

Additional item

A person’s health habits, like diet and exercise, can affect whether or not their genes cause diseases.

^*Note: These negatively worded items were reverse scored so that “strongly agree” reflected a correct response and “somewhat agree” reflected a less confident response in the correct direction for all items.