Background: The Acadians’ understanding and responsiveness concerning risk for genetic disease is complex and dependent on many variables which stem from acculturation, educational level, economic and political processes.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the cultural factors which influenced the trajectory of foundational and emerging intermarriage patterns and family formations within three generations of one Acadian family with Friedreich’s ataxia.  The second aim of this study was to explore these generational cohort families’ perceptions of health beliefs and behaviors related to intermarriage and family formation.  The health belief model (HBM) served as the theoretical framework to guide the study.  The sample was cross-gendered participants born from the 1920-1940s, 1950-1960s, and 1970-1980s who identified themselves as Acadian, were direct descendent from Nova Scotia, resided within one Acadian family  and had the recessive trait for Friedreich’s ataxia, Friedreich’s ataxia, or one family member with the trait or disease were invited to participate. 

Methodology: Ethnography, through a life history approach, was utilized as the study design.  Instrumentation included a semi-structured interview guide, a self-reporting demographic data sheet and a self-constructed family pedigree.

Results: The study is ongoing, with interviews and data interpretation simultaneously.  Preliminary themes are: marriage within community, close-knit families, observable undefined physical behaviors, strong religious belief in natural birth outcome.  The results will be presented at the conference.

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