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Summary
Your family history includes health information about you and your close relatives. Families have many factors in common, including their genes, environment, and lifestyle. Looking at these factors can help you figure out whether you have a higher risk for certain health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Having a family member with a disease raises your risk, but it does not mean that you will definitely get it. Knowing that you are at risk gives you a chance to reduce that risk by following a healthier lifestyle and getting tested as needed.
You can get started by talking to your relatives about their health. Draw a family tree and add the health information. Having copies of medical records and death certificates is also helpful.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- About Family Health History (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Why is it important to know my family medical history?: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Related Issues
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Genetics, Disease Prevention and Treatment
(National Human Genome Research Institute)
Health Check Tools
- My Family Health History (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Family History
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Patient Handouts
- Creating a family health history (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.