Why should I bring this information to my healthcare provider?
Help Yourself
Healthcare providers ask questions about your health and your family’s health when you visit the office. This helps them care for you.Your healthcare provider can:
- Help you understand your risk for disease
- Suggest changes to what you eat or other habits
- Recommend tests to find problems early
- Figure out if you should get a specific genetic test
- Explain the results of your tests
- Figure out if other family members could get a certain disease
- Help you understand your risk of passing conditions on to your children
Doctors use your family health history to make decisions and recommendations to help you lower your risk for diseases and stay healthy. The tests and treatments the doctor gives you can work with the steps you take yourself, like eating right and getting more exercise.
Your doctor may also order a genetic test or refer you to a genetic counselor or geneticist for more information.
Help Your Relatives
Your healthcare provider can:
- Figure out if other family members could get a certain disease
- Figure out if your relatives should get a specific genetic test
- Help you understand your risk of passing conditions on to your children
Knowing this information helps more than just you and your children. Your family health history is gathered from your relatives, but some of them may not realize they have health risks. Your healthcare provider can help to find out.