Barriers and facilitators to genetic counseling service availability in the Arab world: A genetic counselors' perspective

Despite the global growth of the genetic counseling field, many Arab countries either lack genetic services or have limited resources restricted to specific specialties. This qualitative study is among the first to explore genetic counselors' (GCs) perspectives on challenges and facilitators to the field in Arab countries. Eight GCs recruited through social media and professional platforms participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences in their country of practice. Consensual qualitative research methods were applied to inductively analyze interview transcripts. Six domains and 17 categories were extracted from interview transcripts. Despite the observed growth in most Arab countries, participants emphasized the growing need for GCs. Major barriers to service availability included a shortage of training programs and specialized GCs and a scarcity of genomic databases for Arab populations. Factors facilitating practice were also highlighted (e.g., government support, established licensure process). Responses were largely consistent with the existing literature describing structural barriers to the availability of genetic services, while providing novel insights from the perspective of GCs in the region. As one of the first studies to examine service availability through this lens, participants identified challenges and facilitators minimally explored in the literature. Keeping in mind the uniqueness of cultures and attitudes of different Arab countries, this study provides a framework for future efforts to improve the availability of genetic services in the region. Future studies exploring country-specific barriers and facilitators and strategies to tackle identified factors to support the growth of the field can be considered.