Learning your family's health history is important for your own health. This information will help your doctor identify health problems that might run in your family that could affect your own risk of disease. If you can, gather and write down the health history of your:
- Parents
- Siblings
- Grandparents
- Aunts and uncles
- Nieces and nephews
- Children
Ask the following questions to help you learn:
- What health issues did they have?
- If they are dead, what did they die of?
- How old were they when they died?
- Did they smoke, drink, or have other lifestyle-related risk factors?
Share this information with your doctor. Also, tell your doctor about any health conditions your children have. Don't forget to tell the doctor about health conditions you have or had. A thorough family health history helps your doctor give you better care.
More resources on minority women's health