What is the most important reason for taking a patient’s detailed family history?
Did you know that there’s an easy way to improve the healthcare you receive? According to the AARP, tracking and keeping your medical information in one place is that way. If you know your own history, you can be you can be your own best advocate. It also works as a great tool if you take care of loved ones or are a professional caregiver. Want to find out how taking this one simple and easy action can improve your health care? We’re going to look at the five major reasons why you need to have access to your medical history. Show
1. Know Your Risks for Hereditary Diseases and DisordersA good medical history will include health information from you and close family. Risks for diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancers can be genetically inherited. While this doesn’t mean you’ll become ill, you can plan accordingly. Doctors may recommend more frequent mammograms for patients with a family history of breast cancer, for example. It can also be a good guide for lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or increasing exercise. 2. Keep Track of MedicationsSurprisingly, when asked by doctors, most people give incorrect information on their medication lists. It’s not your fault if you don’t remember everything. Your medical records, though, provide an easy way to keep track of your medicine. Both prescription and over-the-counter medications, like painkillers, should also be included. A study showed that patients with access to their medical records were better at regularly taking medication as prescribed. 3. To Help Family Members Who Are at Risk of DiseaseYour medical history isn’t just for your benefit. You can use it to alert other family members of their predisposition to getting certain diseases. Be sure to update your family history as children are born or if family members develop illnesses. After you add them, inform your doctor of the changes. This could be a valuable tool for the generations yet to come. 4. To Be a Better Patient (Or Caregiver)For the patient, it helps to be informed when you go to the doctor. You can ask the right questions and feel more secure in your care. Also, if you want to become a patient advocate you will need to know how to use a medical history. A patient advocate course can help launch your career. Caregivers can also use it as a quick and easy reference to share with the people who need it, making caregiving duties much easier. 5. Your Medical History Can Be Invaluable in an EmergencyWhen there’s limited time, your medical information could mean the difference between life and death. Or, in less serious situations, it saves valuable time searching for relevant facts like medications or allergies. Next Steps to TakeIf you need a central place to store your medical information check out our binder. It doesn’t need messy papers or folders and won’t get lost or misplaced. We want to make sure you have the right information on hand at the right time, wherever you are. Share this on your social media platforms.Your family health history is important to your health. Families can share many things that can increase your risk of getting a health condition, including:
Many health conditions develop due to a combination of factors including lifestyle choices and environmental factors, such as sun exposure. This means that in most cases family history alone is not enough to cause a condition to develop. Knowing that some conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers tend to ‘run in the family’ can be a sign you are at increased risk. If you know of these conditions you should let your doctor know so that they can help you identify things you can do to reduce your chance of also developing the condition. They may refer you to Genetic Services of WA where you can have tests to confirm your genetic risk and receive genetic counselling. You can’t change your genes, but if you are aware of your family’s health history, you can reduce your risk of getting some conditions by:
Health conditions that run in familiesCommon health conditions that you may find within your family’s health history include:
Know your family’s health historyBenefits of knowing your family health treeIt is recommended that you are aware of your family health history. A family health history can help identify if you are at higher risk for certain conditions because of your shared genes and behaviours. If you are able to identify family health patterns early, then together with your doctor you can take steps to reduce your risk, or get early treatment. If you are at higher risk, your doctor can suggest lifestyle changes that may slow or stop the development of many conditions. The best way to build your family health history is to talk to relatives about their health information. You can then pass this knowledge onto your relatives and children to help them plan for their future health. While there may be a high incidence of a certain condition in your family it does not mean that you will definitely develop that condition. How to record your family health historyYou can record your family health history on a Family Health Tree worksheet (PDF 109KB) like in the example below. Who should I collect information from?You only need to collect health information from people that are biologically related to you (blood relations). You should try to get as much information as you can from:
What information should I collect?Try to collect information about:
You should also include information about any close relatives who have had children together. For example, if first cousins have had children together. If it is difficult to get information from your familyYou may find it hard to contact all members of your family as it is easy to lose touch with some relatives and others may not wish to discuss health matters. Be sensitive with your questions and respect your relative’s decision if they do not want to talk about it. If you are finding it hard to obtain information about your family’s health, consider going to 1 or 2 relatives you feel comfortable with who may be able to give you information about other relatives. If contacting even a few of your relatives is a problem, just recording information about yourself will benefit future generations of your family. If you are adoptedGetting information about your family health history can be difficult if you are adopted or do not know certain members of your family. If you find it difficult to collect information on your family think about starting your own health history for your children and grandchildren. Update your family health history regularlyOnce you have collected your family health history, keep it in a safe place. If you update your health history regularly and keep it in a safe place, your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will know their family health history and may be able to reduce their own risk of disease. You could even create your own ‘family health history day’ where you update your information and discuss it with your family. You may also like to give copies to other relatives so that they are aware of any conditions that run in the family. Of course, if there is anything in your family history that causes you concern, talk to your doctor. Am I at risk?Although every family is different, some factors that may mean that your family is at higher risk of developing certain conditions include:
Talk to your doctor if you notice any of these situations in your family health history. If they think you or your family members may be at increased risk you can be referred to Genetics Services of WA to have a genetic test. You may be advised to take steps to reduce your risk, such as making healthy lifestyle changes, or undergo regular surveillance to identify the early stages of disease. Remember that while many conditions can seem to ‘run in the family’, they often happen by chance meaning that whether or not you have a family history of a condition, you should still take steps to live a healthy lifestyle. If there is a strong family history of a health conditionIf you have a family history of a certain condition, such as heart disease, you may be more likely to develop that condition than people who don’t have the same family history. However this does not meant that you will definitely develop the condition. If you do have a strong family health history of a specific condition remember to let your doctor know so that they can work with you to minimise your risk Protecting your family if you are at riskThe development of many conditions is influenced by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. While you can’t change your genes, you can work with your doctor to reduce your risk of developing many conditions by choosing a healthy lifestyle and having regular surveillance. Lifestyle changes include quitting smoking, becoming more active and eating a healthy diet. If you have a personal or family health history of a condition, making healthy changes can reduce your risk of developing that condition. Letting your doctor know about conditions that run in your family helps them to consider what check-ups and support you need to prevent a condition from developing or to detect it early. If you don’t have a family health history for a health conditionEven if you don’t have a family health history for a certain condition, you could still be at risk. This is because:
The development of many conditions is also related to lifestyle or environmental factors. Even if you think that you have ‘good genes’, the best way to prevent a health condition developing is to have a healthy lifestyle. More informationFor more information about how to collect your family health history, please contact the Office of Population Health Genomics:
If you are concerned about a health condition that may run in your family, talk to your GP or contact Genetic Services of Western Australia on 9340 1525. If you have a genetic condition in your family and you need support or would like to contact others with the condition, contact the Genetic and Rare Disease Network (GaRDN) (external site). Remember
Acknowledgement: This development of this information was support by the Australian Better Health Initiative: A joint Australian, State and Territory government initiative. Acknowledgements This publication is provided for education and information purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare professional. Readers should note that over time currency and completeness of the information may change. All users should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for a diagnosis and answers to their medical questions. See also
Why is it important to know the family history of the patient?A family health history can help identify if you are at higher risk for certain conditions because of your shared genes and behaviours. If you are able to identify family health patterns early, then together with your doctor you can take steps to reduce your risk, or get early treatment.
Why is it important to obtain a patient's health history?The primary goal of obtaining a medical history from the patient is to understand the state of health of the patient further and to determine within the history is related to any acute complaints to direct you toward a diagnosis[1].
What features of a family health history are most informative?What “features” of a family health history are most informative when it comes to assessing disease risk? Having one or more close relatives with the same medical condition. Having a relative diagnosed with a condition at an early age (typically before age 55).
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