What kind of family history information is important?
Knowing the kinds of health problems your relatives have experienced is just one piece of the information that can be used to improve your health. If you know about family members’ lifestyles or behaviors, such as smoking, it will be easier to detect those which might be heritable. You should also tell your physician about your ancestry and which countries your relatives are from. Some genetic diseases are more common in certain ethnic groups and knowing this information may help your physician interpret any signs and symptoms you’re experiencing. To get the best medical care, try not to worry if you don’t know all of your family’s medical information; any amount of information is useful. Try also to think of the big picture and remember that what you tell your doctor is confidential and should not lead to any discrimination against you by your employer or insurance companies. How do physicians collect family information? The best and most thorough way to collect family information wou
