The Importance of Family History
Family members share the same DNA, genes, behaviors, and often environments...which is why certain health issues are repeated throughout the family. A complete family history can provide hidden dangers to patients along with allowing prevention.
Many genetic disorders do not follow the Mendelian pattern (single genes transmitted to next generation). So it is very important to understand and be able to describe all health issues known in the family...even if it some seem trivial. The benefits of knowing a family history lead to better testing, patterns of inheritance, prevention, proper treatment, and even explain misconceptions or worries. A great comprehensive family history will consist of at least three generation and will include, sex, birth age, pregnancy complications, age of medical problems, and age/cause of death. Conditions that have important family connections include:
ADHD
ASTHMA
ASPERGER’S
AUTISM
BIRTH DEFECTS
BLEEDING/CLOTTING DISORDERS
CANCERS (<50 years old)
VISION PROBLEMS
HEARING LOSS
HEART DEFECTS
HEART DISEASE (<55 men, <65 woman)
DIABETES
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
KIDNEY DISEASES
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS (depression, bi-polar, anxiety, schizophrenia)
OBESITY
SEIZURES
OTHER CONDITIONS THAT SHOW FAMILY PATTERN (baldness)
ANY INFORMATION NOT KNOWN ABOUT RELATIVES
Research supports that family history alone is the most useful for predicting diseases when multiple members are affected and the issue is premature. So it is very important to know your family history, especially to help with disease prevention and understanding. Diabetes and obesity continue to raise dramatically in the U.S. If many of these individuals could understand the value of family history, issues like obesity and diabetes may be prevented and encourage people to engage in healthier behaviors.
Many genetic disorders do not follow the Mendelian pattern (single genes transmitted to next generation). So it is very important to understand and be able to describe all health issues known in the family...even if it some seem trivial. The benefits of knowing a family history lead to better testing, patterns of inheritance, prevention, proper treatment, and even explain misconceptions or worries. A great comprehensive family history will consist of at least three generation and will include, sex, birth age, pregnancy complications, age of medical problems, and age/cause of death. Conditions that have important family connections include:
ADHD
ASTHMA
ASPERGER’S
AUTISM
BIRTH DEFECTS
BLEEDING/CLOTTING DISORDERS
CANCERS (<50 years old)
VISION PROBLEMS
HEARING LOSS
HEART DEFECTS
HEART DISEASE (<55 men, <65 woman)
DIABETES
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
KIDNEY DISEASES
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS (depression, bi-polar, anxiety, schizophrenia)
OBESITY
SEIZURES
OTHER CONDITIONS THAT SHOW FAMILY PATTERN (baldness)
ANY INFORMATION NOT KNOWN ABOUT RELATIVES
Research supports that family history alone is the most useful for predicting diseases when multiple members are affected and the issue is premature. So it is very important to know your family history, especially to help with disease prevention and understanding. Diabetes and obesity continue to raise dramatically in the U.S. If many of these individuals could understand the value of family history, issues like obesity and diabetes may be prevented and encourage people to engage in healthier behaviors.
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