what does family health history have to do with genetics?

Answer 1

some cancers are hereditary, but there is more research put into early detection than preventive medicine. History of heart disease is also hereditary, but I'm not a doctor and wouldn't be able to tell you why.

I'm an advocate of researching certain cancers (such as breast cancer) and finding the cause rather than simply linking it to genetics. There are more environmental impacts that could affect this, such as DDT and its bioaccumulation in mother's milk and in fat cells of mammals and is thus passed on to the offspring, which is also believed to cause breast cancer in humans.

Answer 2

Genetics have a huge impact on the health history of a family. Some conditions and tendencies are genetic.

An accurate family history can reveal genetic conditions and tendencies and predict a possiblity of a future condition. This information is useful in aiding a decision to become pregnant, terminate a pregnancy or adjust mentally and emotionally and plan the care for child with a genetic abnormality of some kind. It's also useful in anticipating and possibly avoiding a condition that runs in the family

Answer 3

Family health history is the current 'best indicator' of 'genetic anomalies,' or it was before the human genome was mapped. I've had malignant melanoma twice. ALL of my children carry the 'gene' for it. My mother and her brother had malignant melanoma. My maternal grandfather had it. My maternal great grandmother had it. There is a 'gene' that causes 'familial nevus syndrome' in which all of the 'moles' that go malignant are present at birth, and it is passed to only 50% of the children. In my family, there are no moles present at birth, but 100% of the children have the 'gene' and most die of malignant melanoma. As far as doctors can tell, my family is the ONLY ONE that has this 'gene' ... and anyone who has this gene is a 'direct relative' along that 'line' ... weird, but true. THAT is what a good family health history can 'tell' ... we knew this BEFORE the human genome was matched, and it has been proven to be true since.

Answer 4

Everything. Your family health history is simply all of the diseases, conditions and problems that your family has experienced. Not all are passed down from generation to generation but those that are passed down are done so through genetics. That means, certain traits in your DNA might make you more likely to develop a disease that someone had, like your grandparent.
Your family genes make up your DNA, or your "blood". Like when someone says they are your "blood" it means they are linked to you genetically. But not all diseases are passed down genetically but a lot are. For example, if your grandfather has diabetes, you are more likely to develop diabetes than someone who doesn't not have it in their genes. But it ownly means you are "more likely", it doesn't mean you will definitely get it.

Answer 5

I don't believe in that genetic thing, because it doesn't apply to our family health history. My grandparents lived a long time and so did my dad. My sister died very young of leukemia, which nobody has in our family. I am a breast cancer survivor and nobody had it. In my case it doesn't apply.

Answer 6

Same thing, because a thorough health history can inform the Dr what illnesses are occurring in your family, and what to watch out for. Of course, many diseases and syndromes are passed from generation to generation.

Answer 7

Your health is connected to genetics.

Answer 8

ummm everything. Say if you grandmother had cancer then it is probably highly likely you could get the same cancer. SO y'all probably have similar genes that is prone to a specific cancer.

Answer 9

It IS genetics.

Answer 10

alot. consider the fact that your chances of getting cancer are higher if it runs in your family.