RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Genetic education for primary care providers JF Canadian Family Physician JO Can Fam Physician FD The College of Family Physicians of Canada SP e92 OP e99 VO 55 IS 12 A1 June C. Carroll A1 Andrea L. Rideout A1 Brenda J. Wilson A1 Judith MD Allanson A1 Sean M. Blaine A1 Mary Jane Esplen A1 Sandra A. Farrell A1 Gail E. Graham A1 Jennifer MacKenzie A1 Wendy Meschino A1 Fiona Miller A1 Preeti Prakash A1 Cheryl Shuman A1 Anne Summers A1 Sherry Taylor YR 2009 UL http://www.cfp.ca/content/55/12/e92.abstract AB OBJECTIVE To increase primary care providers’ awareness and use of genetic services; increase their knowledge of genetic issues; increase their confidence in core genetic competencies; change their attitudes toward genetic testing for hereditary diseases; and increase their confidence as primary care genetic resources. DESIGN Participants completed a workshop and 3 questionnaires: a baseline questionnaire, a survey that provided immediate feedback on the workshop itself, and a follow-up questionnaire 6 months later. SETTING Ontario. PARTICIPANTS Primary care providers suggested by deans of nursing, midwifery, family medicine, and obstetric programs, as well as coordinators of nurse practitioner programs, in Ontario and by the Ontario College of Family Physicians. INTERVENTION A complex educational intervention was developed, including an interactive workshop and PowerPoint educational modules on genetic topics for participants’ use (available at www.mtsinai.on.ca/FamMedGen/). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Awareness and use of genetic services, knowledge of genetics, confidence in core clinical genetic skills, attitudes toward genetic testing, and teaching activities related to genetics. RESULTS The workshop was attended by 29 participants; of those, 21 completed the baseline questionnaire and the 6-month follow-up questionnaire. There was no significant change found in awareness or reported use of genetic services. There was significant improvement in self-assessed knowledge of (P = .001) and confidence in (P = .005) skills related to adult-onset genetic disorders. There were significant increases in confidence in many core genetic competencies, including assessing risk of hereditary disorders (P = .033), deciding who should be offered referral for genetic counseling (P = .003), discussing prenatal testing options (P = .034), discussing benefits, risks, and limitations of genetic testing (P = .033), and describing what to expect at a genetic counseling session (P = .022). There was a significant increase in the number of primary care providers agreeing that genetic testing was beneficial in the management of adult-onset diseases (P = .031) and in their confidence in being primary care genetic resources for adult-onset genetic disorders (P = .006). CONCLUSION Educational interventions that include interactive peer resource workshops and educational modules can increase knowledge of and confidence in the core competencies needed for the delivery of genetic services in primary care.