Family Health History Resources

What is a Family Health History?

Family health history is a written or graphic record of the diseases and health conditions present in your family. Family health history is a useful tool for understanding health risks and preventing disease in individuals and their close relatives.

Learn more about Family Health History at CDC's family history website for the general public

How to Collect Your Family Health History

• U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative
  In 2009, the Surgeon General released a new family history tool called "My Family Health Portrait." This tool allows families to collect and share their family health history information in a private way.

• Myths and Facts About Family Health History
  Press release from the American College of Medical Genetics encouraging families to gather Family Health History information on National Family History Day (Thanksgiving 2008)

• Michigan Genetics Resource Center: Family Health History
  Provides resources for understanding, collecting, and using family health history.

• Utah Department of Health, Chronic Disease Genomics Program's Family Health History Toolkit
  Use the Family Health History Toolkit to help you talk about your family health history, write down what you learn, and then share it with your doctor and family members.

Oregon Factsheets on Family Health History

• Breast Cancer and Family History
• Colon Cancer and Family History
• Depression and Family History
• Type 2 Diabetes and Family History
• Heart Disease and Family History
• Prostate Cancer and Family History

En español (Spanish)

• La historia de su familia y el cáncer de los senos - Breast Cancer and Family History

• La historia de su familia y el cáncer de colon - Colon Cancer and Family History

• La historia familiar de salud y la diabitis - Type 2 Diabetes and Family History

Data on Family Health History

• Visit our Genetics Data and Surveillance web page