Browsing by Author "Duvenhage, Megan"

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    The Utilisation of Genetic Counselling Services Amongst Prenatal Healthcare Providers in Gauteng, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Duvenhage, Megan
    Congenital anomalies and disorders, many being genetic, continue to have high prevalence and mortality rates globally. Prenatal healthcare providers possess the necessary skills to identify these cases before birth and refer patients for genetic counselling. This study aimed to establish the utilisation of genetic counselling services and insights into the perceptions of genetic counselling amongst prenatal healthcare providers in Gauteng, South Africa. By assessing the utilisation of genetic counselling, barriers and facilitators to referrals were highlighted, and recommendations to improve service provisions in the prenatal sector were made. An electronic survey adapted from Thom and Haw (2021) was sent to prenatal healthcare providers in both the public and private healthcare sectors. A total of 54 participants were included in this study. Results show that roughly 74% of participants are able to refer to genetic counselling services, but only 57% had made use of the service. None of the participants were able to identify all appropriate reasons for referral to genetic counselling correctly, and only 24% of participants understood the responsibilities of a genetic counsellor. Misconceptions regarding the scope of practice of genetic counsellors and uncertainties surrounding the referral process were the most significant barriers to referrals. The study revealed that although prenatal healthcare providers in Gauteng are using genetic counselling services, they are not fully utilising the service due to a lack of knowledge surrounding the profession's services. Therefore, there is a need for educational resources to bridge the knowledge gap and improve prenatal healthcare in Gauteng, South Africa