BayCare is encouraging individuals to use family gatherings as an opportunity to discuss their family’s health history. The organization highlights the importance of knowing inherited health conditions, particularly during Thanksgiving, which has been recognized by the U.S. Surgeon General as National Family Health History Day since 2004.
Dr. Laura Arline, MD, FACP, FAAP, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at BayCare, stated: “Your family history is essentially a roadmap for your health. It provides valuable insight into what conditions you may be more likely to develop and what screenings or lifestyle changes can help reduce those risks.”
A comprehensive family health history can reveal patterns of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sharing this information with healthcare providers can affect recommendations for preventive screenings and their frequency. The CDC offers resources and tools on its Family Health History page to assist in collecting relevant information.
Dr. Arline emphasized: “Even if you feel perfectly healthy, family history can show where you might need to be proactive. Genetics isn’t destiny, but it does give us clues that allow us to make better decisions about prevention, and ultimately, better outcomes.”
To collect this information effectively, BayCare suggests approaching conversations with empathy and curiosity by asking about major health issues, surgeries, age at diagnosis, causes of death when applicable, and reviewing medical records or other documents if available. Information from first- and second-degree relatives—such as parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and children—is considered most useful.
“Knowing not only what conditions occurred but when they appeared can make a big difference in how you and your doctor plan for the future,” said Dr. Arline. “An early onset of heart disease or cancer in a parent or sibling may point to a hereditary risk that requires earlier screening for you.”
To support early identification of hereditary cancer risks in West Central Florida and nearby areas, BayCare now offers a free Cancer Risk Assessment powered by CancerIQ. This tool targets individuals aged 24–45 with a family history of cancer who may not meet standard screening guidelines. The assessment covers nine types of cancer—including breast, colorectal, endometrial, gastric, kidney, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate—and takes about five minutes to complete.
Dr. Arline added: “Family history gives us an opportunity to intervene early — sometimes decades before a condition might otherwise appear. That’s the power of preventive care. It allows us to shift from reacting to illness to proactively maintaining wellness.”
BayCare advises patients to bring their updated family health information to annual physicals or primary care appointments so providers can help interpret details and assess whether genetic counseling or testing is appropriate.
The organization recommends updating family health records each year or whenever new diagnoses occur.
For those interested in taking action based on their family health history or seeking a provider familiar with these issues in the region served by BayCare—including access to bundled hospital, medical and prescription drug benefits through BayCarePlus plans—information is available at BayCare.org/Doctors.
