Table 2 Awareness and Knowledge about Genes, Genetics, and Precision Medicine

 NIH Definition

“A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity.”

Awareness

• “I heard about genes in high school and university.”

• “… in high school in my genetic class.”

• “I heard about it in school.”

• “My grandmother used to tell us that diseases are inherited from relatives … She had cancer, and she was really worried that we could inherit cancer from her.”

• “My mother told me that I have my father’s genes because I am moody like he is.”

• “I read about genes in the newspaper and the internet.”

Knowledge

• “I understand that genes are certain type of components that are inherited from generation to generation … I learned about them in high school.”

• “Genes are like in the blood. For example, if someone is moody, people tell you that you have your father‘s genes. [Genes] are something that are inherited from family.”

• “For me, genes are when you inherit something from your father, mother... you inherit a disease or a similar trait.”

• I had heard for example, if I have diabetes o some disease, and I am going to have a baby, like the disease can be transmited.

 NIH Definition

“Genetics refers to the study of heredity and changes in inherited characteristics.”

Awareness

• “I heard about genetics in college in a biology course.”

• “I never heard about it in school. I remember that my teacher talked about genes, no genetics.”

• “I heard my relative saying that genetics and genes are the same.”

• “I read about it on the internet, but I did not understand.”

• “I never heard about genetics anywhere.”

Knowledge

• “I always heard that human genetics is like the formation of the beginning of the world, it might be that is what differentiates animals from human beings.”

• “Honestly, I do not have much idea about genetics. I have lipomas, and do not know if that is because of genetics or genes …”

• “For me, genetics it the science that improves, alters, or study genes. I think that is the blood tie that develops the biological watch throughout time in a human being and. Differentiates different negative or positive aspects in a human being and in animals.”

• “I understand that genetics is a science that studies genetics [and] genes.”

• “I do not know what genetics is.”

 NIH Definition

“Precision medicine refers to a new approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual difference in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.”

Awareness

• “I have never heard anything about it.”

• “I had not ever heard about it until now that you mentioned it. I had never heard that term.”

• “I never heard about that type of medicine.”

• “I had the least idea about precision medicine, the term, never had heard about it.”

Knowledge

• “I understand that definition. It seems clear to me, but it still sounds like science fiction. It would be something unbelievable that medicine’s approach a person could be cured at the first visit to the doctor’s office.”