Using family history information to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent diseases; a discussion of the evidence.
BACKGROUND
A family history, reflecting genetic susceptibility as well as shared environmental and behavioral factors, is an important risk factor for common chronic multifactorial diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and many cancers.


CONCLUSIONS
The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the evidence for the use of family history as a tool for primary prevention of common chronic diseases, in particular for tailored interventions aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles. The following questions are addressed: (1) What is the value of family history information as a determinant of personal disease risk?; (2)How can family history information be used to motivate at-risk individuals to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles in order to prevent disease?; and (3) What additional studies are needed to assess the potential value of family history information as a tool to promote a healthy lifestyle?


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to risk assessment, family history information can be used to personalize health messages, which are potentially more effective in promoting healthy lifestyles than standardized health messages. More research is needed on the evidence for the effectiveness of such a tool.
Claassen
Liesbeth
L
Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. liesbeth.claassen@vumc.nl
Henneman
Lidewij
L
Janssens
A Cecile J W
AC
Wijdenes-Pijl
Miranda
M
Qureshi
Nadeem
N
Walter
Fiona M
FM
Yoon
Paula W
PW
Timmermans
Danielle R M
DR
D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*
Am J Prev Med. 2003 Feb;24(2):128-35
12568818
Lancet. 2001 Apr 14;357(9263):1168-71
11323044
J Natl Cancer Inst. 1995 Jul 5;87(13):991-6
7629886
Health Educ Res. 2000 Apr;15(2):131-43
10751372
Ann Fam Med. 2005 Sep-Oct;3(5):405-14
16189056
Fam Pract. 2001 Feb;18(1):78-83
11145633
Psychol Health. 2010 Feb;25(2):183-96
20391214
Med Decis Making. 2007 Sep-Oct;27(5):696-713
17873259
Am J Prev Med. 2003 Feb;24(2):143-51
12568820
Am J Hum Genet. 2008 Mar;82(3):593-9
18319070
BMC Health Serv Res. 2008 Feb 07;8:37
18257922
Br J Gen Pract. 2004 Apr;54(501):267-71
15113493
Genet Med. 2004 May-Jun;6(3):153-8
15354334
Patient Educ Couns. 2004 Sep;54(3):255-63
15324976
BMJ. 2009 Mar 17;338:b880
19297312
BMJ. 2001 Apr 28;322(7293):1056-9
11325776
Int J Cancer. 1997 May 29;71(5):800-9
9180149
Lancet. 2006 Nov 11;368(9548):1673-9
17098085
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2000 Nov;54(11):859-63
11027201
Diabetes Care. 2009 Apr;32(4):597-9
19131458
Eur Heart J. 2007 Jan;28(1):88-136
17220161
Genet Epidemiol. 1999;17(2):141-50
10414557
Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep). 2007 Oct;(159):1-84
18457477
Public Health Genomics. 2009;12(2):73-83
19039251
Genet Med. 2009 Jul;11(7):495-506
19521245
Fam Pract. 2006 Aug;23(4):472-80
16608871
J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1999;(25):94-100
10854464
J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 Jul;93(3):353-62
16059425
J Transcult Nurs. 2009 Jul;20(3):270-7
19398610
Ann Fam Med. 2004 Nov-Dec;2(6):583-94
15576545
Genet Med. 2002 Jul-Aug;4(4):304-10
12172397
JAMA. 2005 Dec 28;294(24):3117-23
16380592
Ann Behav Med. 1999 Fall;21(4):276-83
10721433
J Med Genet. 1996 Dec;33(12):1032-6
9004138
Med Decis Making. 1994 Apr-Jun;14(2):146-56
8028467
Am Fam Physician. 2005 Aug 1;72(3):441-8
16100858
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001 Apr;10(4):287-301
11319168
Fam Process. 2005 Mar;44(1):25-44
15807076
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2006 Jul;16(5):330-8
16829341
JAMA. 2001 Feb 7;285(5):540-4
11176855
Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2):266-74
9701182
Nat Rev Genet. 2005 Feb;6(2):95-108
15716906
Prev Chronic Dis. 2005 Apr;2(2):A24
15888235
Soc Sci Med. 2006 Mar;62(6):1360-8
16162383
Am J Epidemiol. 2001 Nov 15;154(10):916-23
11700246
Prev Chronic Dis. 2009 Apr;6(2):A54
19288997
Br J Gen Pract. 1996 Oct;46(411):577-82
8945794
Br J Gen Pract. 2000 Nov;50(460):867-71
11141871
Br J Cancer. 2005 Oct 3;93(7):825-33
16160696
Am J Prev Med. 2003 Feb;24(2):190-8
12568826
Fam Pract. 2007 Oct;24(5):435-42
17728290
Diabetes Care. 2007 Oct;30(10):2517-22
17634276
J Med Genet. 2000 Jun;37(6):470-2
10928860
J Gen Intern Med. 2004 Mar;19(3):273-80
15009784
Soc Sci Med. 1999 Dec;49(12):1571-98
10574231
Annu Rev Public Health. 2010;31:69-87 1 p following 87
20070206
Ann Intern Med. 2009 Dec 15;151(12):872-7
19884615
Am J Med Genet. 1997 Aug 22;71(3):315-24
9268102
N Engl J Med. 2002 Feb 7;346(6):393-403
11832527
Prev Med. 2009 Feb;48(2):197-202
19073208
Patient Educ Couns. 2008 Dec;73(3):443-7
18722073
Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2008 Jun;15(3):325-8
18525388
Br J Gen Pract. 2001 Mar;51(464):194-9
11255900
Clin Med (Lond). 2005 Sep-Oct;5(5):465-9
16268328
Prev Med. 2001 Aug;33(2 Pt 1):128-36
11493046
Genet Med. 2006 Feb;8(2):102-8
16481893
Prev Chronic Dis. 2009 Jan;6(1):A33
19080039
JAMA. 2007 Feb 14;297(6):611-9
17299196
Circulation. 2004 Oct 12;110(15):2150-6
15466626
Am J Cardiol. 2001 Jan 15;87(2):129-35
11152826
Fam Pract. 2005 Dec;22(6):663-9
16055464