‘Coming Down the Line’— Patients’ Understanding of Their Family History of Common Chronic Disease
Ann Fam Med Walter and Emery
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The Article in Brief
'Coming down the line'- Patients' understanding of their family history of common chronic disease
By Fiona Walter, MA, MSc, FRCGP, and colleague
Background:
A patient’s family history is important in preventing chronic disease or detecting the disease early. This study explored how primary care patients understand and come to terms with their family history of cancer, heart disease or diabetes. Thirty patients were interviewed.
What this study found:
Once a person acknowledges that an illness runs in their family, the family history gains personal meaning and the person develops a sense of being vulnerable to the disease, which they try to cope with or control. Patients’ understanding of their risk of developing a common chronic disease is based not only on the number of relatives who had the disease, but also on the emotional impact of witnessing illness in the family and the nature of their relationship with the ill relative. Many patients have fatalistic attitudes about their risk of disease, particularly cancer, which they feel less able to control.
Implications
• Personal experiences of disease can contribute to a patient’s sense of vulnerability.
• Incorporating beliefs and experiences with family risk into discussions of chronic disease could improve patient understanding and help patients make informed decisions about healthy behaviors and screening tests.
