Your Family Health Tree
7/1/2015
Many health conditions, including heart disease and cancer, run in families. Creating a family health history can help you take steps to reduce risk.
Health conditions are caused by a variety of factors. Environment, lifestyle and genetics all play a role in the development of disease. Knowing your family history will allow you a greater opportunity to make lifestyle changes that can help prevent disease.
Use this family history “road map” to get started.
- Start the conversation. First make time to talk with your closest relatives — that means your parents, brothers, sisters and children. If your family keeps a written family tree, use that as a starting point. Reach out to other relatives, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and nieces and nephews.
- Keep a record. Write down your family’s health history, including relevant dates, health milestones and relationship to you. Share it with your family members and discuss it with your doctor.
- Update information as necessary. Keep track of changes in your family’s health record, including diseases or medical conditions, births, or deaths.
Family Health Checklist
You started your family health history. Did you get all the information you need? The National Institutes of Health recommends including these details:
- age and date of birth
- chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia or asthma
- other specific diseases, including cancer and stroke
- age the family member experienced the conditions
- age the family member had children
Other details may help paint a clearer picture of your family health history, including where relatives lived or what country they came from, if any family member had a developmental disability, and the age and cause of death of deceased relatives.
Family health knowledge is power_—_create your history today to ensure a healthier future for yourself and your children.
Share your family health history with your doctor, who can guide you through steps for prevention. If you don’t already have a physician,
click here to find one.
Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.
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