title: Does Lack of "Genetic-Relative Family Health History" Represent a Potentially Avoidable Health Disparity for Adoptees?
abstract: Many adoptees face a number of challenges relating to separation from biological parents during the adoption process, including issues concerning identity, intimacy, attachment, and trust, as well as (for older adopted children) language and other cultural challenges. One common health challenge faced by adoptees involves lack of access to genetic-relative family health history (GRFHx). Lack of GRFHx represents a disadvantage due to a reduced capacity to identify diseases and recommend appropriate screening for conditions for which the adopted person may be at increased risk. In this article, we draw out common features of traditionally understood "health disparities" in order to identify analogous features in the context of adoptees' lack of GRFHx.
authors.affiliation: a HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and University of California San Francisco.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: b Hudson Alpha Institute of Biotechnology.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.affiliation: c University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
authors.forename: Kaija L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Zusevics
authors.affiliation: d Medical College of Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeruzal
authors.affiliation: e Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical Group.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: d Medical College of Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LaPean Kirschner
authors.affiliation: d Medical College of Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Arthur R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Derse
authors.affiliation: f University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: g University of Massachussetts Amherst.
authors.forename: Harold D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Grotevant
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D005823:Genetics; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010290:Parents; D012306:Risk
keywords: genetics (clinical); health policy