Family Health: History or Mystery? By Synithia Williams, Regional Extension Agent, FCD

Are you able to list the health concerns that perhaps older or deceased members of your family endured? Developing an awareness of such illnesses, with the exclusion of a few types, can be eye-opening, particularly in forecasting future family health issues. Optimistically, this knowledge holds a vital key to unlocking better health for current and future family members. Taking a closer at the family health history may reveal that diseases individual members face are not unique, but can be traced through family lineage.

Being at War

In an era where some health issues have reached epidemic proportions, it's not hard to believe statistics that reveal 40 percent of a population at genetic risk to contract at least one known disease. It is important to note that risks don't have to materialize into health conditions. An inherited health risk means an individual is predisposed or has a tendency to develop an illness. Nonetheless, diseases have a greater advantage without knowledge and purposeful action to help prevent them. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 96.3 percent of Americans believe knowing their family's health history is important to their health. In contrast, only 29.8 percent of Americans have tried to gather and organize their family's health history. The former United States Surgeon General Dr. Richard H. Carmona asserts the "bottom line is that knowing your family history can save your life." Individuals with a predisposition to an illness may want to adopt the position of "being at war" to counteract contracting a disease.

The Whole Picture

As one looks into family history, it's important to also pay attention to cultural and similar learned behaviors that play a part in family health issues. While diseases such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis are purely genetic, many others are related to environment and influenced by ethnicity, culture, and beliefs. Thus, information regarding eating and exercise regimens can be just as important as genetics. Research reflects that these elements definitely go hand in hand.

When reviewing family health history, avoid letting certain conditions stay under the radar. These conditions could be bone (osteoporosis), stomach, and eye diseases; Alzheimer's, dementia, and other mental illnesses; or even reproductive health problems among others. The major health issues directly tied to the nation's highest percentage of deaths are heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Men also have a unique disposition to prostate cancer, while women encounter breast health issues. Being proactive presents you with the opportunity to take control of you and your family's health.

Solving the Mystery

Many families have a beautiful rich history of attributes that tie them together; however, predispositions to disease and illnesses cannot be forgotten. There is a solution that can give families an upper hand. It involves a little family research and dialogue that leads to pulling together a concrete family medical history record. This task can begin at the next dinner around the kitchen table and lead to fact-gathering exercises at family reunions, which prompt family members to do a little homework. Dialogue and research could include looking at older pictures to detect trends in obesity, reviewing death certificates, or obtaining firsthand accounts from older or more knowledgeable family members. Once the history is collected into one record, it can empower family members to make informed decisions regarding health and to be aware of any warning signs. Those who have any predispositions will want to alert their physicians. Early health screenings could decrease the risk of suffering from preventable family-related illnesses.

So, plan to spark a change in your family that may add years to your life as well as life to your years. One conversation can be a catalyst that leads to healthier and happier families.

To set up a family medical history record online, to download, or to print a template, visit https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/.

References

National Institutes of Health. (June 2005). History for your health: Collecting family history to prevent disease. News in Health. Retrieved September 7, 2007.

Powell, Kimberly. (2007). All in the family: Tracing your family medical history. Retrieved September 7, 2007.

United Nations Department of Public Information. (March 2002). Advancing health and well-being into old age: The case for active aging. Second World Assembly on Aging. Retrieved September 7, 2007.

United States Department of Health & Human Services. (November 8, 2004). HHS launches new family health history initiative. News Release. Retrieved September 7, 2007.

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