Long-term negative Psychological Impact of Presymptomatic Testing for Huntington’s Disease

Leite, Ângela Maria Teixeira; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Pinto, Susana Maria Lêdo da Silva; Pinto, Ana Manuela Baldaia Carvalho; Gomes, Ana Isabel Pinheiro; e Sousa, Hélder Fernando Pedrosa

http://hdl.handle.net/10284/7869

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Authors

Leite, Ângela Maria Teixeira

Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta

Pinto, Susana Maria Lêdo da Silva

Pinto, Ana Manuela Baldaia Carvalho

Gomes, Ana Isabel Pinheiro

e Sousa, Hélder Fernando Pedrosa

Abstract(s)

Presymptomatic Testing (PST) for Huntington’s disease (HD) is available since 1986 and its impact on carriers and non-carriers is not yet fully clear. It is important to understand its psychological impact so that the PST protocols are best suited to the subjects at-risk. Preventing a negative psychological impact is the ultimate purpose of the genetic counselling process. This study addresses the long-term negative psychological impact assessment of PST for HD. The sample consisted of 29 subjects that were 50% at-risk for HD, and had performed the PST for at least three years ago. Participants answered the sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Although most of the sample does not present clinically significant psychopathology values, 6 subjects present a Positive Symptoms Distress Index value which is equal to or greater than 1.7; 7 subjects present a value which is equal to or greater than 40 of anxiety; and 7 subjects present mild depression. Symptomatic carriers, who underwent the PST less time ago, present worse psychopathological symptoms, depression and anxiety. Subjects with this profile should have a more intense and personalized psychological and social support, aiming to prevent the risk of suicide and to improve the quality of their lives.

Description

http://sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/2422-8419/

Keywords

Presymptomatic Testing (PST) Preditive genetic testing Huntington´s Disease (HD) Long-term Psychological Impact Late-onset disease

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10284/7869

Citation

APA: Leite, Â. M. T., Dinis, M. A. P., Pinto, S. M. L. d. S., Pinto, A. M. B. C., Gomes, A. I. P., & e Sousa, H. F. P. (2017). Long-term negative Psychological Impact of Presymptomatic Testing for Huntington’s Disease. Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, 34, 1-9.