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What You Should Know About Genetic Testing
There are many different reasons for why someone may want or not want to learn about genetic results. There are no right or wrong choices. Genetic test results have the potential to provide a sense of relief from uncertainty and help people make informed decisions about managing their health care. There are also potential risks associated with genetic testing. These often involve the emotional, social, or financial consequences of the test results.
Below are some reasons people have when choosing to learn results, and some reasons not to learn results.
When deciding about whether to learn about genetic results, it may be helpful to ask yourself:
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How have you dealt with difficult situations in the past? What strategies have worked well for you?
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Are there people in your life that you feel you can talk to about your genetic results?
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How might you feel and react to your genetic results?
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What might you do with your genetic results?
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Who, if anyone, in your family do you plan to tell of your results?
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How do you think the test results will affect your interactions with your family? Your friends?