Genetics, Vol. 169, 517-521, February 2005, Copyright © 2005
doi:10.1534/genetics.104.030015

Successful Implementation of Genetic Education for Native Americans Workshops at National Conferences

Mark B. Dignan*,1, Linda Burhansstipanov{dagger} and Lynne Bemis{ddagger}

* University of Kentucky Prevention Research Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40504-3381
{dagger} Native American Cancer Research, Pine, Colorado 80470-7830
{ddagger} University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262

1 Corresponding author: University of Kentucky Prevention Research Center, 2365 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite B100, Lexington, KY 40504-3381.
E-mail: mdignan{at}prc.uky.edu

Genetic Education for Native Americans (GENA) was a National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)/Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI)-funded educational intervention designed to provide a unique genetics education program for Native American college and university students. A curriculum was developed and implemented in workshops in geographically diverse settings throughout the United States, primarily in conjunction with regional and national scientific conferences that include substantial numbers of Native American attendees. The original curriculum includes 24 objectives and has been offered in two formats, as a 16-hr "comprehensive" program and in briefer workshops (referred to as "customized" hereafter) that are designed to include objectives for selected audiences. Both formats teach sufficient genetics to allow discussion and understanding of the ELSI and cultural issues related to genetics science. This article describes the evaluation findings from our implementation of both formats of the GENA curriculum.