UK-based mental health professionals' perceptions of genetic and environmental risk for psychiatric conditions

ObjectivePsychiatric conditions arise from a complex interplay of genetics and environment. Many people struggle to interpret genetic risk, leading to distress and inadequately informed decisions. Mental health professionals are often the first point of contact for patients with questions about psychiatric genetic risk. We aimed to uncover UK-based psychiatric professionals knowledge and perceptions of psychiatric genetic risk, comparing those with and without a medical degree to identify training gaps. MethodsHealthcare professionals (n=152) were recruited via email and social media. An online survey assessed: 1) genetic knowledge using the 6-item International Genetic Literacy and Attitudes Survey (iGLAS), 2) confidence discussing genetic and environmental risk, 3) perceived contributions of genetic and environmental factors to psychiatric conditions, and 4) how often patients and relatives ask questions about genetic or environmental risk. We compared those with a medical degree (n=56) to those without (n=96) via linear regressions. ResultsOne-quarter indicated patients always or often asked about genetic risk for their psychiatric condition. Whilst participants genetic knowledge was good (mean iGLAS score=4.36 out of 6), 10% believed at least one psychiatric condition was caused by only environmental or only genetic factors. Only 30% feel confident discussing genetic risk with patients and their relatives. Participants with a medical degree demonstrated significantly greater genetic knowledge (mean iGLAS score=5.02, SD=0.91) than those without (mean=3.97, SD=1.31; {beta}=1.05, 95% CI=0.64, 1.47, p<0.001), and were more confident discussing genetic risk ({beta}=0.60, 95% CI=0.20, 1.01, p=0.004), however this latter finding was non- significant after controlling for sex. Confidence discussing environmental risk was not linked to training background. ConclusionsPatients and their relatives are curious about genetic risk, yet professionals confidence discussing this was low, especially among those without medical degrees. We highlight a specific training gap related to genetics and support calls for accessible psychiatric genetics education for mental health professionals.