Family history a powerful, underused health tool

WASHINGTON — Make Grandma spill the beans: Uncovering all the diseases that lurk in your family tree can trump costly genetic testing in predicting what illnesses you and your children are likely to face.

It may sound old-fashioned, but a Cleveland Clinic study comparing which method best uncovered an increased risk of cancer helps confirm the value of what's called a family health history.

All it costs is a little time questioning your relatives, yet good family health trees are rare. A government survey estimated less than a third of families have one — and time-crunched doctors seldom push their patients to remedy that.

"I view family health histories as back to the future," says Dr. Charis Eng, a cancer geneticist at the Cleveland Clinic's Genomic Medicine Institute. "It's the best-kept secret in health care."

Holiday gatherings can be a good chance to gather the information, as can reunions or even funerals. The U.S. Surgeon General operates a free website — https://familyhistory.hhs.gov — that helps people create a family health history and share it electronically with relatives and their doctor.

To read the rest of the article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40075335/ns/health-cancer

Interesting this! My maternal grandmother had typical RA hands, I remember them as being knobbly and twisted, and with what I know now, was probably very painful for her. I don 't know whether she had RA or not, she was a sweetheart, pretty fit and feisty little old Scottish woman who lived till she was 95. I remember she used to be rubbing her shoulders, hips and ankles a lot though, and had a special lamp (I think it was infra - red) that she used to sit under, pointing at the sore part. I think she used this most days - so RA - probably! She used to say she had rheumatism, or it was her "rheumatics"'

And on my Dad's side, my great-grandfather, died in Montreal 1886, on death certificate cause of death "Rheumatism". He was aged only 39! Had 10 children - (I suspect the poor old fellow was worn out)!! Don't know much yet about the other members of this particular family, good British stock, so I suspect they all had stiff upper lips instead of stiff joints!

Yep, but according to my genetic history I was certainly in line for it on both sides of my Mum & my Dad!

I guess I'm in a more enlightened era though as far as treatment goes, and am blessed enough that the medications are mostly working for me. So yep, definitely worth passing info of any family health conditions you know about. ps. Still enjoying my Californian Grapes way down here!!

Nice for you .. those grapes, kiwilass!!

I forgot that my paternal great grandmother had the bent and gnarled fingers of someone with RA.. She also had a long long life, kiwi.. she lived to be 97.

My father was just sent to a rheumatologist... He has never seen one, but had been DX'd by his PCP as having gout..... Well, his gout has moved to his fingers, shoulders and hands.. his orthopedist thinks it is RA.. and wants him tested.. That is being done on Tuesday. We shall see what that brings.. though I reminded him that I am sero-neg and that my DX came from fluid drawn from my knee in flare.

I hope he doesn't have it.. but I am thinking, that he does..

Hope that your Dad's OK Babs. No-one wants our families to have the diagnosis, but with today's medications, scans and suchlike, hopefully will get to the bottom of whatever it is, and onto treatment quickly. Fingers crossed - yes, I can do that now!!

I'm sero-negative as well Babs. Another thing that I have found important was to inform my family that my Dad died from Motor Neurone Disease. Another possible genetic link for them to be aware of - a nephew of my Dad also had MND., When going through the inevitable long search to find out what my problem was, the doctors were very interested in the fact that two members of my family had succumbed to Motor Neurone Disease. Not necessarily a connection to RA but nevertheless interesting! So again, yes vital that these things should be recorded.

Family history a powerful, underused health tool | Arthritis Information