Lay responses to health messages about the genetic risk factors for salt sensitivity: Do mass media genetic health messages result in genetic determinism?

Abstract

Media coverage of genetics may lead to overestimation of the impact of genetics on disease development. In this study, we presented one student sample and one general public sample from the Netherlands with a general or a genetic health message (HM) about salt sensitivity. After reading the genetic (but not the general) HM, participants reported higher perceived impact of genetic versus lifestyle factors and a higher attributable fraction of genetics on disease development. Nevertheless, participants were able to recognise the balance between lifestyle and genetic risk factors in disease development. They also contextualised and restricted the message's implications to the specific information provided, and did not extrapolate these implications to other diseases. These results illustrate the nuanced understanding the general public may have concerning genetic risk factors.

Keywords:

• media coverage of genetics
• genetic education
• mass media
• salt sensitivity
• attributable fraction
• the Netherlands