Common chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes are health problems that affect large proportions of the U.S. population and are among the most common causes of death. A positive family history has long been recognized as a risk factor for many of these conditions. Family history reflects the contributions of shared genes, common behaviors and shared environments.

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.

“Knowing your family history can save your life. The earlier you know which health conditions run in your family, the easier it is to develop prevention plans with your doctor. Start the conversation with your family on National Family History Day- celebrated every Thanksgiving.”

Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H
U.S. Surgeon General
View the Surgeon General's Press Conference on Family History

• Can Family History Be Used as a Tool for Public Health and Preventive Medicine?
  Yoon PW, et al.
  Genetics in Medicine 2002; 4(4):304-310

• Fact sheet
• CDC's Genomics and Population Health: United States 2005 Report; CDC’s Family History Public Health Initiative: 2005 Update
• CDC's Genomics and Population Health: United States 2003 Report, The Family History Public Health Initiative

• Family History—More Iimportant Than Ever
  Guttmacher AE, Collins FS, Carmona RH
  N Eng J Med. 2004 Nov 25; 351(22):2533-6

• Reconsidering the Family History in Primary Care
  Rich EC, et al.
  J Gen Intern Med. 2004 Mar; 19(3): 273-80

• Awareness of family health history as a risk factor for disease—United States 2004
  MMWR Weekly 2004 November; 53(44);1044-1047

• American Journal of Preventive Medicine, February 2003, Family History Theme Issue

		Research Priorities for Evaluating Family History in the Prevention of Common Chronic Diseases Yoon PW, Scheuner MT , Khoury MJ. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):128-35
		Family History Assessment: Strategies for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Hunt SC , Gwinn M, Adams TD. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):136-42
		Using Decision Analytic Methods to Assess the Utility of Family History Tools Tyagi A and Morris J. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):199-207
		Family History as a Predictor of Asthma Risk Burke W, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):160-9
		Family-Centered Approaches to Understanding and Preventing Coronary Heart Disease Kardia SL, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):143-51
		Family History of Diabetes as a Potential Public Health Tool Harrison TA, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):152-9
		Family History of Colon Cancer: What Does it Mean and How is it Useful? Keku TO, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):170-6
		Achieving Utility with Family History: Colorectal Cancer Risk Bowen DJ, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):177-82
		Effecting Behavior Change: Awareness of Family History Audrain-McGovern J, et al. Am J Prev Med 2003 Feb;24(2):183-9

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Fact Sheets
• Case Studies
• Disease-Specific Links
• News Articles
• Multimedia Presentations
• U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative