The genetic risk of chronic diseases represents a complex medical setting in which individuals need to adapt to health conditions that manage daily living towards to healthy behaviours. This exploratory review focused on psychological counselling for genetic risk diagnosis. This study aimed to address the psychological management of the impact of genetic risk on chronic diseases. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus for articles from May 2012 to August 2023. A descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the included studies was conducted. Based on the exclusion/inclusion criteria, the literature search yielded 250 studies. Seventeen full texts were assessed for eligibility and 207 articles were excluded. Observational (n = 15) and randomised clinical trials (n = 2) were examined. Most studies have been conducted on oncological diagnoses; the emotional dimensions examined have been worry, depression, anxiety and stress in most diseases. Psychological measures are based on self-reports and questionnaires; few studies have investigated the connections between quality of life, psychological traits and emotional dimensions. The complexity of clinics and from daily diagnostic and treatment practices to the everyday experience of those living with the risk of disease might be addressed in counselling settings to improve quality of life in genetic risk, increasing mental adaptation to tailored chronic conditions. Thus, the empowerment of communication of genetic risk information should be part of the general trend towards personalised medicine.
Keywords: genetic counselling; mutation risk; psychological screening; risk factor for mental health.
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