GC for Adults

Question 1

when is someone considered an adult leaglly?

Answer 1

someone that has reached the age of the majority, can enter into a contract and considered liable for their own actions

Question 2

what are some of the differences between child and adult learning?

Answer 2

children motivated by external factors vs. adults motivated by internal factors

learner-teacher relationship more of a partnership

Question 3

what some unique aspects of adult gc?

Answer 3

they’re both the pt and client

they have much longe rmedical hx (targeted hx are key, childhood records may not exist anymore)

different spectrum of disease in adults compared to children and different reasons for genetics eval

Question 4

what are the leading causes of death in adults? reasons for genetics eval?

Answer 4

death: malignant neoplasm, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, accidents, liver disease, suicide, nephritis, sepsis
genetics: connective tissue, hereditary cancer, thrombophilia, hemochromatosis, risk recurrence, MR, NF, PKD, cardiomyopathies, HD, chr disorders related to infertility, Mito, Neuro, ophthalmologicla conditions, TSC

Question 5

where are adult GCs typically located?

Answer 5

clinic with geneticist adn GCs, specialty clinic with nongenetics MD, etc.

Question 6

how are adults typically referred?

Answer 6

affected pt and FHx

Question 7

how might we take a pt medical hx in an adult session? how might you do this?

Answer 7

list symptoms and events related to main problem (chronologically may help)

include other specialists, procedures, or tests

concurrent illness, past surgery, and hospitalization

start with open-ended questions, consider doing on a timeline, don’t be afraid to redirect

Question 8

what tips should we follow with taking FHx?

Answer 8

typically invovles a 4th generation

realtives will likely be older (don’t ask health problems)

age of onset is vital

ask about groups rather than individuals OR ask generation by generations

Question 9

what concerns do adults typically bring into GC sessions?

Answer 9

mortality risks, long-term prognosis, interaction of genetic disease and other adult-onset disease, insurance discrimination, relevance/benefit, offspring recurrence risk, social support

Question 10

what are some of the challenges in adults GC?

Answer 10

unusual referrals, early childhood records may be missing, older family members may be deceased, may not be best historians, symptoms vs. signs of aging, presymptomatic testing, susceptibility testing, consider risks and benefits of testing, limited literature in adult pop, transitional issues, working with adults with MR