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Can genetic risk information for age-related macular degeneration influence motivation to stop smoking?

Can genetic risk information for age-related macular degeneration influence motivation to stop smoking?
Can genetic risk information for age-related macular degeneration influence motivation to stop smoking?
Aims: smoking can increase the risk of macular degeneration and this is more than additive if a person also has a genetic risk. The purpose of this study was to examine whether knowledge of genetic risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could influence motivation to quit smoking.

Methods: a questionnaire-based study of hypothetical case scenarios given to 49 smokers without AMD. Participants were randomly allocated to a generic risk, high genetic risk, or low genetic risk of developing AMD scenario.

Results: forty-seven percent knew of the link between smoking and eye disease. In all, 76%, 67%, and 46% for the high risk, generic, and low risk groups, respectively, would rethink quitting (Pfor trend=0.082). In all, 67%, 40%, and 38.5%, respectively, would be likely, very likely, or would definitely quit in the following month (Pfor trend=0.023). Few participants (<16% of any group) were very likely to or would definitely attend a quit smoking session with no difference across groups. In all, 75.5% of participants would consider taking a genetic test for AMD.

Conclusion: in this pilot study, a trend was seen for the group given high genetic risk information to be more likely to quit than the generic or low genetic risk groups. Participants were willing to take a genetic test but further work is needed to address the cost benefits of routine genetic testing for risk of AMD. More generic risk information should be given to the public, and health warnings on cigarette packets that ‘smoking causes blindness’ is a good way to achieve this
0950-222X
109-118
Rennie, C.A.
774e5501-a414-47b8-a036-ee3adb226fc2
Stinge, A.
bffa069b-492e-4db0-b194-4fd3557172ad
King, E.A.
acdd85c2-07c8-48db-ba6b-96bef9e09f4c
Sothirachagan, S.
00b8d55b-df12-406e-9e69-812fc05b906b
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Lotery, A.J.
5ecc2d2d-d0b4-468f-ad2c-df7156f8e514
Rennie, C.A.
774e5501-a414-47b8-a036-ee3adb226fc2
Stinge, A.
bffa069b-492e-4db0-b194-4fd3557172ad
King, E.A.
acdd85c2-07c8-48db-ba6b-96bef9e09f4c
Sothirachagan, S.
00b8d55b-df12-406e-9e69-812fc05b906b
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Lotery, A.J.
5ecc2d2d-d0b4-468f-ad2c-df7156f8e514

Rennie, C.A., Stinge, A., King, E.A., Sothirachagan, S., Osmond, C. and Lotery, A.J. (2012) Can genetic risk information for age-related macular degeneration influence motivation to stop smoking? Eye, 26, 109-118. (doi:10.1038/eye.2011.256). (PMID:22037055)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aims: smoking can increase the risk of macular degeneration and this is more than additive if a person also has a genetic risk. The purpose of this study was to examine whether knowledge of genetic risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could influence motivation to quit smoking.

Methods: a questionnaire-based study of hypothetical case scenarios given to 49 smokers without AMD. Participants were randomly allocated to a generic risk, high genetic risk, or low genetic risk of developing AMD scenario.

Results: forty-seven percent knew of the link between smoking and eye disease. In all, 76%, 67%, and 46% for the high risk, generic, and low risk groups, respectively, would rethink quitting (Pfor trend=0.082). In all, 67%, 40%, and 38.5%, respectively, would be likely, very likely, or would definitely quit in the following month (Pfor trend=0.023). Few participants (<16% of any group) were very likely to or would definitely attend a quit smoking session with no difference across groups. In all, 75.5% of participants would consider taking a genetic test for AMD.

Conclusion: in this pilot study, a trend was seen for the group given high genetic risk information to be more likely to quit than the generic or low genetic risk groups. Participants were willing to take a genetic test but further work is needed to address the cost benefits of routine genetic testing for risk of AMD. More generic risk information should be given to the public, and health warnings on cigarette packets that ‘smoking causes blindness’ is a good way to achieve this

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 28 October 2011
Published date: January 2012
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 336971
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/336971
ISSN: 0950-222X
PURE UUID: f7458ab9-2b0b-4116-91c0-9eb04c60081b
ORCID for C. Osmond: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9054-4655
ORCID for A.J. Lotery: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5541-4305

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Date deposited: 12 Apr 2012 13:39
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:15

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Contributors

Author: C.A. Rennie
Author: A. Stinge
Author: E.A. King
Author: S. Sothirachagan
Author: C. Osmond ORCID iD
Author: A.J. Lotery ORCID iD

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