Cardiogenetics and uncertainty: Evaluation of professional vulnerability in France

Abstract

Scientific advances in genomics are transforming healthcare and prevention. However, they also increase situations of uncertainty, which in turn increase vulnerability not only for patients and their families but also for professionals. Cardiogenetics plays a crucial role in preventing sudden death in young individuals, but it can pose complex challenges for healthcare teams. To study professionals' perspectives and experiences regarding cardiogenetics-related vulnerability, a national online survey was conducted in France to gather insight from professionals involved in the care pathway of individuals with cardiogenetic conditions. The survey targeted clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, cardiologists, nurses, and psychologists, in collaboration with the CARDIOGEN network.

Out of 86 respondents, the majority (64%) reported experiencing vulnerability, which was not correlated with their profession, experience, or the organization of their clinics. Acknowledged vulnerabilities were mainly related to uncertainties regarding incomplete penetrance, variable expression, and genotype-phenotype disparities in cardiogenetics, exacerbated by the evolving interpretation of genetic data, due to the increased access to genomics. Additionally, the implications of these issues, particularly in cases of unexplained sudden deaths that necessitated genetic investigations and family follow up recommendations, raised further concerns. The reported vulnerabilities encompassed both the need for specialized knowledge and the structural complexities of teams combining skills in genetics and cardiology. In addition, the professionals’ capacity to empathize can add a degree of vulnerability. Finally, it seems important to focus on how cardiogenetics teams are organized, particularly through close collaboration among genetics and cardiology units, which could help reduce this feeling of vulnerability.