Family History and Improving Health

Expected Release Date: mid 2009

Key Questions*

1. What are the key elements of a family history in a primary care setting for the purposes of risk assessment for common diseases?
2. What is the accuracy of the family history, and under what conditions does the accuracy vary?
3. What is the direct evidence that routinely getting a family history will improve health outcomes for the patient and/or family?
4. What is the direct evidence that routinely getting a family history will result in adverse outcomes for the patient and/or family?
5. What are the factors that encourage or discourage obtaining and using a family history?
6. What are future research directions for assessing the value of family history for common diseases in the primary care setting?

*To be addressed in evidence report.

Current as of December 2008

Internet Citation:

Family History and Improving Health, Clinical Focus. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/famhimptp.htm