Don't Know Family Health History? Better Start Collecting Info Now

People kept their health information secret in previous generations. Health history was never shared with anyone, including with their children or extended family members. Perhaps they were embarrassed or thought it showed weakness; either way, families knew little about their family's health history.

But were you aware that your family history might be one of the strongest influences on your risk of developing health issues, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer? There are even familial links with forms of Alzheimer's and dementia. 

Understanding your family history can help you reduce your risk of developing health problems despite your inability to change your genetic makeup. This information can also help you plan for future changes you will experience in your health, body, and mind. 

Knowledge is Power

Today we know that a good knowledge of your family's health history can help you and your doctor take better care of your overall health. Advances in medical science can help you avoid significant health issues your parents or other extended family members may have faced. Health conditions your family faced can help diagnose health issues you might be suffering from now. A quicker diagnosis leads to better treatment and better outcomes. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says many people have a family health history that includes at least one chronic health problem, like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Suppose you have a close family member with a chronic disease. In that case, you may be more likely to develop that condition yourself, especially if more than one close relative has (or had) the illness or a family member suffered from the ailment at a younger age than usual.

Knowledge is power for both you and your doctor. 

Family History is More Than Just Heredity

Genetics does play a role in your health. However, it is not just genetics. Family members tend to share common habits, live in the same area of the country, and share other traits, leading to similar illnesses. 

You cannot change your genes, but you can change harmful habits, such as smoking, not exercising or being active, and poor eating habits. According to the CDC, if you have a family health history of a disease, you may have the most to gain from lifestyle changes and screening tests.

With some changes, you could reduce your risk for diseases that run in your family. Screening tests, such as blood sugar testing, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screening, help find early signs of disease. Getting diagnosed with a health condition early can often mean better health in the long run.

Discover Your Family Health History

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there are several ways to learn about your family history:

• Ask questions
• Talk at family gatherings
• Look at death certificates and family medical records, if possible

Be sure to collect information about your grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, siblings, and children. Get all the details, including:

• Major medical conditions and causes of death
• Age of disease onset and age at death
• Ethnic background

Be sure to write down the data and share it with your physician. Your doctor will:

• Evaluate your disease risk based on your family history and other risk factors
• Advise lifestyle changes to help prevent disease
• Prescribe screening tests to identify illnesses early

My Family Health Portrait is a tool from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office that can help – click here

If your doctor notices a disease pattern in your family, it may be a sign of an inherited form of a disease that is passed from generation to generation. 

Genetic testing may also help determine if you or your family members are at risk. Even with inherited forms of a disease, steps can be taken to reduce your risk.

Family History and Long-Term Health Care

Even planning for the future costs and burdens of aging has family history as part of the equation. Greater life expectancy can run in families, and the longer you live, the greater to need for long-term health care. Sure, there are many other longevity factors, but if your family already lives well into their 80s, you should understand the greater risk.

When it comes to Long-Term Care Insurance, your family's medical history has become a more significant part of the equation. If you have a family history of dementia, you can probably qualify to obtain coverage, but some companies are looking very closely that your family’s history, especially with first-degree blood relatives. 

Today, Long-Term Care Insurance specialists and financial advisors will ask more questions about family medical history and longevity. Between your doctor, financial advisor, and Long-Term Care Insurance specialist, knowledge of your family's medical history can help them help you.

Your children will want to know this information when they get older. An open conversation is essential, and it starts with asking questions and answering them. Never be ashamed or afraid to answer and share as it benefits everyone.