Family History
Gathering a complete and accurate family medical history is becoming more important as genetic medicine explains more diseases. As a patient realizes the connection within their family, he or she undoubtedly seeks to gather, perhaps informally - perhaps not, more personal information regarding risk to develop particular diseases. Certain tools have been developed to aid both the physician/health care provider as well as the patient. The family history tools below have been developed by AMA staff and our collaborators. Also, check back frequently to access new tools currently under development, such as an online pedigree-building tool.
The Prenatal Genetic Screening Questionnaire (PDF, 30KB) may be useful for a physician/health care provider to gather information from a couple either prior to pregnancy or during a pregnancy. This form may be printed out and filled in by the patient prior to a doctor's appointment. It may also be presented to the patient while the patient is in the waiting room, thus saving time on gathering history during a consultation.
The pediatric patient that presents in a genetics consult is often very complex, having a diagnosis of, for example "Rule-Out Syndrome," or "Rule-Out Inborn Error of Metabolism." The Pediatric Clinical Genetics Questionnaire (PDF, 37KB) has several components that can be useful in helping the health care professional in gathering the necessary history of child in order to help with a diagnosis and treatment plan.
The Adult Family History Form (PDF, 32KB) is more likely to be useful when a patient is being seen in clinic to rule out a condition that may have developed later in life, which may or may not have been inherited.
The Family Medical History in Disease Prevention pamphlet (PDF, 394KB) provides a physician/health care provider with useful information about the utility of a family history in identifying disease risk and developing a personalized prevention program. This booklet also contains a listing of Web-based directories for locating genetic resources (laboratories, clinics, medical geneticists, and genetic counselors) in your community.
Family History in the News
- HealthStyles Survey on family history awareness in US
- National public health campaign: U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative
Additional family history resources
- CDC's Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention - Using Family History to Promote Health
- NIH's National Genome Research Institute - Listing of online tools for generating a Family History
- The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention - Your Disease Risk
- Mayo Clinic - Compiling your Family Medical History
- Genetic Family History in Practice - National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics quarterly newsletter
Watch Family History: A Window on Your Health
National Human Genome Research Institute Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., and Genomic Healthcare Branch Chief William Gregory Feero, M.D., Ph.D. sit down for a conversation about the importance of learning your family history and recording it accurately. Gathering the health history of your parents, grandparents and blood relatives and bringing it to your healthcare provider can help you determine your health risks and plan lifestyle changes to keep your family well. To watch Family History: A Window on Your Health, visit the National Human Genome Research Institute Web site.
New public service announcements encourage wider use of family history
The National Human Genome Research Institute—in cooperation with the U.S. Surgeon General—has published a series of five public service announcements to encourage primary care physicians to be sure to take a family history of disease into account when treating patients. The announcements feature real patients with family histories of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and a pregnant mother concerned with prenatal care and genetics.
