Best of the Best Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2020

Pilot study of an online training intervention to increase genetic literacy and communication skills in oncology healthcare professionals discussing genetic testing with breast and  ovarian cancer patients    (#42)

Bettina Meiser 1 , Paula Woodward 2 , Margaret Gleeson 3 , Maira Kentwell 4 , Phyllis Butow 5 , Frances Boyle 6 , Megan Best 7 8 , Natalie Taylor 9 , Katy Bell 10 , Kate Dunlop 10 11 , Helen Mar Fan 12 , Yoland Antill 13 , Kathy Tucker 14
  1. Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney
  2. The Med Collective Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Hunter Family Cancer Service, Newcastle
  4. Parkville Familial Cancer Clinic, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne
  5. Psycho-Oncology Co-Operative Research Group, Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making, Sydney
  6. School of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney
  7. Psycho-Oncology Co-Operative Research Group, Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making, The University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW
  8. Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW, Australia
  9. Cancer Council, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  10. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
  11. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney
  12. Genetic Health Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane
  13. Parkville Familial Cancer Clinic and Familial Cancer Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne
  14. Hereditary Cancer Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia

Given the progressively widespread use of genetic testing for pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 in breast and ovarian cancer patients, there is an urgent need for increased genetic literacy in oncology healthcare professionals. This pilot study aimed to evaluate an online training intervention to increase genetic literacy and communication skills in oncology healthcare professionals discussing the genetic testing process including results with breast and ovarian cancer patients. A training website with embedded videos was developed (www.mainstreamgenetictesting.com.au).  In this pilot study the website’s acceptability, user-friendliness, and satisfaction were assessed and suggestions for improvement were elicited.  Oncology healthcare professionals were recruited through several relevant professional organisations, invited to the study by email and asked to work through the website and then complete an online questionnaire.  The target sample size for this pilot study was 20 participants.  Thirty-two oncology healthcare professionals completed the questionnaire after viewing the website. Nearly all participants were satisfied with the information contained in the program (44%=very satisfied, 53%=satisfied, 3%=neither satisfied nor dissatisfied) and reported that they had gained new skills (94%) and had increased competence (93%) in communicating with breast and ovarian cancer patients about genetic testing. Most participants endorsed the online intervention as clearly presented, informative, relevant and useful (>90%).  In conclusion, this pilot study demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability of the training program to increase genetic literacy and communication skills in oncology healthcare professionals discussing genetic testing with breast and ovarian cancer patients.  It can now be tested in a randomised trial for its efficacy in leading to practice change and impacting on patient outcomes.