Patients' Perspectives on Identity, Ancestry and Genetics

The complex relationships between self-identified race, ethnicity, ancestral origin and the genetic components of diseases demands a better understanding of patients' conceptions of these identifiers and how they impact their health. The lived experiences of multiracial individuals can provide valuable perspectives on questions of race and ethnicity, the collection of ancestral information in assessing health history and communication of racial or ethnic specific disease risk. Understanding patients' beliefs and experiences will provide important data for developing ways to communicate how human genetic variation is related to self identified race and ethnicity. We aim to conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with adults at least 21 years of age who identify as having a multiracial background with African and European ancestry. The study will include participants from the Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas. This preliminary study uses qualitative methods to capture the personal stories of identity, ancestry and clinical experiences from a population that has not been adequately researched.

• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Individuals will be excluded from the study if they do not have at least one parent that self-identifies as Black or has African ancestry and another parent that self identifies as White or has European ancestry. Other exclusion criteria include: (1) under 21 years of age, (2) not had at least two clinical visits with a health care professional in the last year and (3) not more than one individual per family.