Family Health History Health project

What is family Health history This refers to information about disease and health conditions that affect you and your close blood relatives. Family members share their genes and their environment, and sometimes their lifestyles and habits. A family health history helps determine if you are at an increased risk of disease because it reflects your genes and these other risk factors.

How can knowing help lower risk of disease You can’t change your genes, but you can change behaviors that affect your health, such as smoking, being inactive, and having poor eating habits. If you have a personal or family history of chronic disease you may have the most to gain from making life-style changes.

Aspects of family health history affect my risk of disease Everyone’s family health history is different. The key features that increase your risk are: Disease that occur at an earlier age than expected (10-20 yrs most people get the disease) Disease in more than one close relative Disease that does not usually affect a certain gender (ex.. Breast cancer in males) Certain combinations of disease within a family (ex. Breast cancer; ovarian cancer, or heart disease and diabetes) Sometimes, a pattern of disease in a family may be a sign of a disease that is passed on from generation to generation

Project Step 1- family information: Yourself/ your parents/ your grandparents on both sides. Next to each family members name: write down everything you know about their health and medical history. (****Make sure you are respectful as these topics can be hard to talk about!!!!***)

Information to Include Age or date of birth Date of death for family Members who have passed away Height and weight For those with medical problems: write down if obese, smoked, exercise habits, etc.. How old were they when they were diagnosed with condition Where each side of family comes from originally (ex.. England, Germany etc..) Medical conditions such as: Cancer Heart disease Diabetes Asthma Mental illness High blood pressure Stroke Kidney disease Birth defects (spina bifida, cleft lip, heart defect) Learning problems or mental retardation Vision or hearing loss at a young age Known genetic conditions, like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease

10 Questions to ask your family What traits seem to run in our family? Did my family members have any health problems? How old were my family members when their health problems started or were diagnosed? How old were my family members when they died? What were the reasons they died? Where were my family members born? Did any of my family members smoke? If yes, how much and for how long? What lifestyles habits did my family members have ( good or bad)? What types of allergies did my family members have? What life style ( good or bad ) habits have been passed on to you ? How can these habits be avoided or be put into practice ?