Consensus is emerging that context matters for returning results. While this is the first study to solicit the perspectives of diverse groups about ES/WGS, attitudes may differ from those who have undergone ES/WGS. There is considerable heterogeneity among AAs in the U.S. along a number of demographic and social axes [Halverson and Ross, 2012a]. Income and education levels differed between AA and non-AA participants and, as a result, this study’s findings may be confounded or applicable to a limited subset of AAs. None of our participants had a rare genetic condition, a context expected to frame future experiences with receiving results. Given that participants resided in the Seattle area, future qualitative and quantitative research across different regions of the U.S. is warranted. While this analysis focuses on response differences between AA and non-AA participants, this is not to imply that there were no similarities in perspectives between AAs and non-AAs groups. Rather, considering the perspectives of AAs that might differ expands how we might want to think about consent for WGS and managing results.
