Bendigo Family Study Research at PSANZ 2025: Attitudes of New Parents and Grandparents Towards Genetic Risk Assessments.

The Bendigo Family Study congratulates Tomas Petersen, one of the research students helping on this trial, who presented at the 2025 Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific meeting in Brisbane. The study explored the attitudes of new parents and grandparents towards genetic testing.  Previous Australian studies have indicated that new mothers are reluctant to consider genetic cancer testing with concerns expressed over possible future discrimination. However, these studies were over a decade old and genetic cancer testing advocacy and protections against discrimination are now being implemented in Australian law. Further, new genetic tests for individualised healthcare around diet and exercise are being developed that might enhance overall health. 

The study explored the attitudes of new parents and grandparents to hypothetical questions around genetic testing for specific cancer risks, and individualised diet and exercise genetic tests that could be significant for future health.

The key findings were that 
* 76% of new parents and grandparents would have a genetic test if it provided them with a 25% risk of a specific cancer.
* 84% of responders stated that they would have a genetic blood test that helped identify a preferred exercise pattern or dietary pattern for individualised health.
* Only 24% of our new parents and grandparents felt that a positive genetic test might result in discrimination.

There were no differences in attitudes between mothers and fathers or between parents and grandparents (all p>0.05).
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These findings differ from our study conducted only a decade ago where rates of acceptance were lower and indicate an increasingly positive attitude in new parents and grandparents towards individualised genetic test for cancer and lifestyle management. 

The abstract and poster presentation can be viewed in detail at researchgate.

regards
​Professor Julie Quinlivan
​Bendigo Family Study