Communicating Familial Hypercholesterolemia Genetic Information Within Families

Abstract

This study provides evidence of community support for FH cascade screening programs that adopt a policy of "direct contact," where program staff contact the relatives of the index cases and inform them of their familial risk. Maximizing community support for the screening program may require that index cases give consent to include their personal details when the initial contact is made with their relatives. It may also require special consideration of how younger members of the community are contacted and encouraged to participate in the screening programs.