Most families don’t talk about this important medical issue

One in seven people have never spoken to their relatives about their family’s health history, according to a recent global study from Bupa, a health insurance company. The survey polled 8,000 adults and 169 health professionals from the UK, Australia, Spain and more.

Of the respondents, 30% said having a conversation about family health history had never crossed their minds and 20% said their families don’t talk about health openly.

“Even though it’s one in seven people, that person is connected to a family who hasn’t had those conversations. So in some ways, it’s kind of like one in seven families,” says Sherry Pagoto, a licensed clinical psychologist who was involved in the study.

About four in five (79%) of healthcare professionals polled agree that “more lives could be saved if patients had better knowledge of their family health history,” according to the study.

With the knowledge of genetic health risks, doctors can make informed decisions like screening patients for specific conditions that run in their family, Pagoto says. But patients may not understand the importance of having those conversations or they may be uncomfortable to learn about their health histories, she adds.

Another issue is “not really knowing how to bring it up,” says Pagoto who is also a professor in the department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Some people may struggle with how to approach the topic and what to do with the information once they have it.

Here are Pagoto’s tips for starting the conversation about your genetic health risks with your family, and what she suggests for next steps.

• Believe that loved ones may be open to the conversation: “People would be surprised at how open they may find family members to be of talking about themselves,” Pagoto says. “Particularly elderly family members.”
• Check in with them about how they’re currently feeling: Start with what’s comfortable by asking, “How are you feeling today?” she suggests. You can ask about their most recent check-ups and what they discussed with their doctor.
• Introduce the topic of your family’s health history: You can start the conversation with something like, “I’d love to know more about any health conditions that you’ve had because those could run in the family,” she suggests. Or you can ask what caused the death of specific family members to get more context.
• Take notes and document the information after: Approach this conversation “almost like you’re constructing this family tree, but of health conditions,” Pagoto says. Having all of the information in one place makes it easy for you to share it with your doctor or with your siblings or your own children.
• Get other family members on board: If you speak to your maternal grandmother about that side of your family, maybe you can ask your siblings to speak to your paternal side, she notes. Delegating tasks will make it easier for you to get the knowledge you all need.
• Share what you learn with the right people: Once you know about your genetic health risks, it’s important to share what you’ve learned with your doctor and your family members. Ask your doctor questions like “Are there any tests or screenings that we should do for me right now?” or “What recommendations do you have for [prevention]?”

Remember that what you learn about your family’s health history is only context, and not a prediction of what you can expect in your own future, Pagoto says. “Your genes are not your fate. They’re one part of an equation. Your lifestyle and your health care is a big part of that equation,” she explains.

“It might actually make you feel more motivated to do these healthy lifestyle behaviors that we sometimes feel like ‘I’m not motivated for that’ or ‘I don’t have time for that’. It really pops it up on the top of your priority list.”

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