What it means
Part of the health history. It covers parents, siblings, children, grandparents, aunts and uncles: their health problems, age at diagnosis and cause and age of death. It points to inherited risks, such as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and mental illness, and helps decide which screening tests a client needs and when. It can be drawn as a family tree (genogram or pedigree).
For the nurse
Ask about at least three generations, and note conditions that started at a young age, which raise the client's own risk more.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | FH |
|---|---|
| Also written | family histories |
Related terms
counseling
Talking with a trained person who helps someone understand a problem, make decisions or change behavior.
preexisting condition
A health problem a person already had before a certain point, such as before a pregnancy, a surgery or new insurance coverage.
mutation
A change in the genetic code (DNA) of a cell.