Family health history talks could prevent serious diseases
SANTA FE – Knowing your family's health history could help prevent serious diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and Thanksgiving dinner conversations offer an ideal time to gather that potentially lifesaving information.
“Sometimes the best way of preventing future health problems starts with talking to each other,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Chief Medical Officer. “Knowing your family health history gives you valuable information to share with your medical providers to decide when things like blood sugar testing, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screening are right for you.”
The department is recognizing National Family Health History Day on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, an observance established by the U.S. Surgeon General to encourage families to discuss health patterns that can inform prevention and early detection.
Most people have a family health history that includes at least one chronic disease, most commonly cancer, heart disease and diabetes. If you have one or more close family members with a chronic disease, you may be more likely to develop that disease yourself.
Even less familiar diseases like the CCM1 gene mutation, also known as the Common Hispanic Mutation, hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia all tend to be passed on in families from one generation to the next. More information can be found online at https://www.alliancetocure.org/home/cavernous-angioma-in-depth/genetics/founder-mutations/ccm1-common-hispanic/.
Any health history you can collect is helpful and possibly lifesaving, but the more the better, such as information about your parents, sisters, brothers, half-sisters, half-brothers, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Try to get information on major medical conditions, causes of death, age at disease diagnosis, age at death and ethnic background.
NMDOH recommends having the conversation at least once during the holiday season. It will help to keep everyone up to date on their family health information. The U.S. Surgeon General's free web-based tool, My Family Health Portrait, can help everyone to keep track of the information at https://cbiit.github.io/FHH/html/index.html.
More information on National Family Health History Day is available online at https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/about/index.html.
State residents needing help finding a location for healthcare screenings near you, including reduced cost options, call the NMDOH helpline at 1-833-SWNURSE (1-833-796-8773) or text your question to “NMDOH.”
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Hablar sobre los antecedentes médicos familiares podría prevenir enfermedades graves