Knowledge About and Attitudes Toward Genetic Screening Among High-School Students: The Tay-Sachs Experience

Abstract

High-school students (ages 15-18 yr; No = 930) taking biology in their curriculum were surveyed (the 1st survey), in the classroom, for their knowledge and attitudes about Tay-Sachs disease and other public issues in genetics. Knowledge and attitudes about the screening experience were also surveyed; (the 2nd survey) was a sample (No. = 120) containing equal numbers of carriers and noncarriers matched for sex and age. The 1st survey revealed that the level of knowledge about Tay-Sachs disease is high among students, only 28% of whom were Jewish. The 2nd survey revealed a favorable attitude toward the screening experience and the self-knowledge obtained among screened students.