To create a medical family tree, access the Web site located at https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action.Next, click on the Create a Family History button to complete the medical family tree by entering your information into the boxes. After creating your medical family tree, answer the following questions:
1. Why is it important to know your family medical history?
It is important to know my family medical history so that I am armed with knowledge about what medical problems I have a high risk of contracting. By knowing my family medical history it can also help when I go to the doctors because if they have knowledge of my families medical history they can monitor me for those same conditions. A doctor can also use my history to help diagnose a condition because a doctor will look for that first to eliminate it before moving to other avenues.
2. Does knowing your family history make you more aware of personal risk factors?
Knowing my family history does make me more aware of personal risk factors. A large amount of diabetes runs in my family as well as anxiety and depression. I know that if I do not take steps to control my weight, I will have diabetes. I was told by my ob/gyn that I am an extremely high risk of contracting diabetes because it runs in my family, I am overweight, and all of my children were large when born.
3. How might being aware of your medical family history help you?
Doing this project has made me aware of my families medical history, this will help me to take preventative measures in which I can to try to reduce my risk of contracting diabetes. I know that I need to lose weight, exercise more, and eat a more healthy diet. I need to reduce the amount of sugary foods I eat as well. Even though only my grandmother has an emphysema diagnosis my mother has breathing
