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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
Related Issues
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Genetics, Disease Prevention and Treatment FAQ
(National Human Genome Research Institute)
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)
- Article: Feasibility study of using GPT for history-taking training in medical education:...
- Article: Impact of providing a customized guideline on virtual medical history taking...
- Article: Diagnostic accuracy of history taking, physical examination, and auxiliary examination for...
- Family History -- see more articles
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.