At-Home Safety: Use Holiday Gatherings to Mine for Family Health History

Dec. 22, 2010
If out-of-town relatives are visiting for the holidays, take the chance to dig up some information on your family health history, suggests a genetics expert from the University of Alabama at Birmingham

If out-of-town relatives are visiting for the holidays, take the chance to dig up some information on your family health history, suggests a genetics expert from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“The holidays are a great time to collect your family history,” explained Lynn Holt, M.S., director of the School of Health Professions Genetic Counseling program. “Most people don’t know much about the family history beyond their first-degree relatives, their own parents and siblings.”

Talk to grandparents or great-grandparents and make detailed records on their immediate family – parents, siblings and children. Jot down names, year of birth, year of death and any health problems that person may have had. Ask if any siblings died during childhood and if so, why? Many people don’t like to talk about a sibling who died young, but knowing if it happened and why can produce very valuable information.

“We sometimes hear people say they’ve been told their mother’s brother dropped dead at age 20, for example,” says Holt. “It’s important to find out why; was it because of a genetic heart condition that you might have inherited, or is it simply that brother was guilty of some accident that nobody wants to talk about?”

Holt advises to ask if there is any cancer in the family. If so, determine the kind of cancer and the age family members first were diagnosed. Age of diagnosis is more medically valuable than age of death in determining heritable conditions.

Ask similar questions about heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions or other common conditions in adulthood. Holt also says to look into any environmental exposures that may explain family health problems such as occupational exposures, smoking or pollution.

While these conversations might not sound very festive, they could be vitally important to your own health down the line. Just remember that it’s probably best not to bring the subject up over dinner with a crowd. Try to find some quiet time with each member of the older generation and begin the conversation. Many older family members welcome the chance to share the family story and memories of loved ones who have passed away, Holt said.

After you collect all this information, share it with your physician to help determine if there are certain health conditions for which you need to be evaluated based on your family history.

The National Society of Genetic Counselors has a website with more information about family history collections at http://www.nsgc.org/About/FamilyHistoryTool/tabid/226/Default.aspx.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

Sponsored Recommendations

Fitting in Fast: Making a Safe Workplace for New Hires

Sept. 12, 2024
Over a third of nonfatal injuries happen to workers who have been with their current employer for less than a year.

Elevating Safety: Empowering Supervisors to Become Safety Advocates

Aug. 27, 2024
Explore the skills, knowledge and techniques that supervisors need to effectively manage the safety of their crew. This guide will examine the causes and symptoms of supervisory...

Top 10 Causes of Distracted Driving—and What They All Have in Common

Aug. 27, 2024
The results reveal the top ten causes of distracted driving, and make it clear that not all distractions are created equal.

Spotting Workplace Safety Heroes: A Guide to Identifying Your Champions

Aug. 27, 2024
No two workplace safety champions are identical. But almost every single one of them has at least one standout quality that helps them excel. Here are some of those qualities ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!