Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Home Search CDC CDC Health Topics A-Z site search
National Office of Public Health Genomics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention
Site Search
   

Family History
squares
Family History Resources and Tools
Provides information about family history and resources for the general public and professionals interested in preventing disease and promoting health.
 
squares
Activities

Evaluating Family History for Preventive Medicine and Public Health
Family history is known to be a risk factor for many chronic diseases—including coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—but it’s use in preventive medicine has been de-emphasized compared with modifiable risk factors such as smoking and diet.

squares
Conference and Workshop Materials

Use of Family History Information in Pediatric Primary Care and Public Health
February 24-25, 2006 ~ Atlanta, GA

2005 Family History Workshop
November 17-18, 2005 ~ Atlanta, GA

Family History as a Tool for Public Health and Preventive Medicine
May 1-2, 2002
Family history of specific diseases reflects the consequences of genetic susceptibilities, shared environment, and common behaviors.

 
squares
Perspectives
Family History as a Tool for Public Health and Preventive Medicine: A Public Health Perspective (November 2005)
This Public Health Perspective contains information and resources for public health professionals about the potential for using family history as a tool for improving health and preventing or delaying the onset of common, chronic diseases.
 
squares
Publications

Family History in Pediatric Primary Care and Public Health
A new supplement published in Pediatrics summarizes the findings of a CDC-sponsored workgroup meeting on the use of family medical history information in pediatric primary care and public health.

Collection and Use of Cancer Family History in Primary Care
EPC Evidence Report, October 2007

Population-based study of the prevalence of family history of cancer: Implications for cancer screening and prevention PDF only (169 KB)

Familial risk assessment for early-onset coronary heart disease
Scheuner MT, Whitworth WC, McGruder H, Yoon PW, Khoury MJ.
Genet Med. 2006 Aug;8(8):525-531

Expanding the definition of a positive family history for early-onset coronary heart disease
Scheuner MT, Whitworth WC, McGruder H, Yoon PW, Khoury MJ.
Genet Med. 2006 Aug;8(8):491-501

Awareness of Family Health History as a Risk Factor for Diseases—United States, 2004
Family history can be an important screening tool for identifying people at risk of disease. The public should be encouraged to collect their family histories and share the information with their health professionals.

Clinical application of genetic risk assessment strategies for coronary artery disease: genotypes, phenotypes, and family history [PubMed Abstract]
Maren T. Scheuner  
Prim Care 2004 Sep; 31(3): 711-37

Family history of heart disease and cardiovascular disease risk-reducing behaviors PDF Only(220KB)
McCusker, ME. et al.
Genetics in Medicine
May/June 2004 6(3):153-158

Reconsidering the Family History in Primary Care
Eugene C. Rich, et al.
J of Gen Int Med  2004 Mar;19(3);273-280

Contribution of Mendelian Disorders to Common Chronic Disease: Opportunities for Recognition, Intervention &
Prevention
PDF Only(220KB)
Maren T. Scheuner, Paula W. Yoon and Muin J. Khoury
Am J Med Genet. 2004 Feb 15;125C(1):50-65

The Family History Public Health Initiative, Genomics and Population Health 2005

Family History Assessment:  Strategies for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Steven C. Hunt, Marta Gwinn and Ted D. Adams American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2003; 24(2):136-142

Research Priorities for Evaluating Family History in the Prevention of Common Chronic Diseases
Paula W. Yoon, Maren T. Scheuner and Muin J. Khoury American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2003; 24(2):128-135

Using Decision Analytic Methods to Assessthe Utility of Family History Tools
Anupam Tyagi and Jill Morris American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2003; 24(2):199-207

Can family history be used as a tool for public health and preventive medicine?
Yoon, Paula et al. Genetics in Medicine  2002; 4(4):304-310

Population-based estimates of the prevalence of family history of cancer among women
Ingrid J. Hall, Wylie Burke, Steven Coughlin, and Nancy C. Lee
Community Genetics November, 2001

Role of Family History in Personal Prevention Practices among US Women Physicians PDF Only(3.7MB)
Mona Saraiya, et al.  Community Genetics 2001;4: 102-108

Increased Risk for Familial Ovarian Cancer Among Jewish Women: A Population-Based Case-Control Study
Karen K. Steinberg, et al.  Genet Epidemiology 1998;15:51-59

Family History Score as a Predictor of Breast Cancer Mortality: Prospective data from the Cancer Prevention Study II, United States, 1982-1991
Quanhe Yang, et al. Am J Epidemiol. 1998 Apr 1;147(7):652-9

Helping high-risk families:  Medical and public health approaches
Summary: Scientists, policy makers, and public health officials are beginning to explore how genetic knowledge can be used to promote health and prevent Ann M. Malarcher, PhD, MSPH; Wayne H. Giles, MD, MS; Muin J. Khoury, MD, PhD

 
squares
Related Links

CDC Partners with American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) on Educational Program on Genomics PDF Only(11KB)

The Genetic Family History in Practice non-gov warning icon
A newsletter for health care professionals

National Society of Genetic Counselors non-gov warning icon

American Medical Association non-gov warning icon

Page last updated: December 11, 2007
Content Source: National Office of Public Health Genomics