Barriers to the provision of genetic services by primary care physicians: a systematic review of the literature

The purpose of this literature review is to report primary care physicians' perceived barriers concerning the provision of genetic services. Sixty-eight papers were identified in six electronic databases. Only publications classified as empirical studies (N = 18) were included in this review. Barriers identified most frequently in reviewed studies were inadequate knowledge of basic genetics, lack of detailed or updated family histories, lack of confidence, and lack of referral guidelines. Although many primary care physicians perceive genetics as a low practice priority, they do report a need for educational programs in genetics, informational resources, and referral guidelines.