Survey of Genetic Counselling Awareness Among Healthcare Workers in Selected Primary Health Centres in Niger State

Genetic counselling is a communication process that assists individuals and families in understanding genetic conditions and making informed reproductive decisions. Despite its clinical importance, awareness and availability of genetic counselling services remain deficient in many primary healthcare settings across Nigeria. This study assessed the level of genetic counselling awareness among healthcare workers in selected primary health centres (PHCs) in Niger State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health extension workers across 20 PHCs in three local government areas. A structured, self-administered questionnaire covering knowledge of common genetic disorders, awareness of counselling services, and referral practices was distributed. Findings revealed that a majority of respondents had inadequate knowledge of genetic counselling principles, with only a small fraction having received any formal training on the subject. Nurses and midwives demonstrated slightly better awareness than community health extension workers. Significant gaps existed in understanding of inheritance patterns and recurrence risk. These results underscore the urgent need to integrate genetic counselling content into continuing professional development programmes for PHC workers in Niger State and similar North Central settings. Keywords: genetic counselling, primary healthcare, Niger State, healthcare workers, awareness