“Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts

This paper proposes a discourse-oriented approach to genetic literacy. The increased availability of genetic testing requires a certain level of genetic literacy among the public. This is important to understand the benefits and the risks of genetic testing. In this paper, we suggest that genetic li...

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Main Authors: Zhengpeng Luo, Olga Zayts-Spence
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:New Genetics and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14636778.2024.2435832
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author Zhengpeng Luo
Olga Zayts-Spence
author_facet Zhengpeng Luo
Olga Zayts-Spence
author_sort Zhengpeng Luo
collection DOAJ
description This paper proposes a discourse-oriented approach to genetic literacy. The increased availability of genetic testing requires a certain level of genetic literacy among the public. This is important to understand the benefits and the risks of genetic testing. In this paper, we suggest that genetic literacy is not just a set of knowledge and skills that people have, but something that they do. It is discursively accomplished, and socially and culturally constitutive. We illustrate our approach using a genetic counseling consultation for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). We examine how in this consultation, through careful orientation to the clients’ understanding of genetic information, extended explanation-giving and education on genetics, the geneticist supports the clients in their decision about genetic testing. We discuss our findings in relation to clinical and non-clinical genetic contexts and highlight the importance of genetic literacy and professional support in diverse situations where genetic testing is considered.
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issn 1463-6778
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language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
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series New Genetics and Society
spelling doaj-art-dd7e2c7cafa74d1bb3e5bbe71615c3402024-12-12T15:09:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupNew Genetics and Society1463-67781469-99152024-12-0143110.1080/14636778.2024.2435832“Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contextsZhengpeng Luo0Olga Zayts-Spence1School of Foreign Languages, Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of English, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaThis paper proposes a discourse-oriented approach to genetic literacy. The increased availability of genetic testing requires a certain level of genetic literacy among the public. This is important to understand the benefits and the risks of genetic testing. In this paper, we suggest that genetic literacy is not just a set of knowledge and skills that people have, but something that they do. It is discursively accomplished, and socially and culturally constitutive. We illustrate our approach using a genetic counseling consultation for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). We examine how in this consultation, through careful orientation to the clients’ understanding of genetic information, extended explanation-giving and education on genetics, the geneticist supports the clients in their decision about genetic testing. We discuss our findings in relation to clinical and non-clinical genetic contexts and highlight the importance of genetic literacy and professional support in diverse situations where genetic testing is considered.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14636778.2024.2435832Genetic literacygenetic counselingdiscourse
spellingShingle Zhengpeng Luo
Olga Zayts-Spence
“Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
New Genetics and Society
Genetic literacy
genetic counseling
discourse
title “Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
title_full “Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
title_fullStr “Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
title_full_unstemmed “Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
title_short “Doing genetic literacy”: a discourse-oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
title_sort doing genetic literacy a discourse oriented approach to literacy in genetic contexts
topic Genetic literacy
genetic counseling
discourse
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14636778.2024.2435832
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AT olgazaytsspence doinggeneticliteracyadiscourseorientedapproachtoliteracyingeneticcontexts