Articles
Medical history: Compiling your medical family tree
What other sources of information may be beneficial?
Content
How is a family medical history used?
What's the best way to gather family medical information?
What information should be included in a family medical history?
What other sources of information might be beneficial?
What should I do after compiling the information?
What should I do after compiling the information?
Give your doctor a copy of your family medical history and ask him or her to review it with you. Your doctor might ask you questions for clarification and can help you interpret the relevance of certain patterns in your medical history, including the need for preventive measures or screening tests.
As children are born and family members develop illnesses, update your family medical history. Share relevant updates with your doctor. It might take time and effort, but this tool can help improve the health of your family for generations to come.
