Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Serious mental illnesses (SMIs), like schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorder, impact almost one million Canadians. The cause of SMIs are extremely complex. While research clearly demonstrates a genetic component, multiple genes are thought interact with environmental factors to cause the illnesses. Until recently, knowledge on the genetic and environmental causes of SMIs have not been addressed in standard medical care for patients and families. But it seems that genetic counselling, an established clinical service, can provide important and far-reaching benefits for patients. These benefits may include decreased feelings of stigma, increased feelings of control, and improved medication adherence. Despite these potential benefits, little is known about how genetic counselling actually influences patient outcomes. In this qualitative interview study I will explore how the process of genetic counselling influences outcomes, particularly treatment adherence, for individuals with SMIs. The data generated will be used to inform the development of genetic counselling guidelines for SMIs. Increasing our understanding of how the process of genetic counselling influences patient outcomes will facilitate improvements to this health service and support standardized care for patients with SMIs.