November 19, 2025 | 5 minute read time
When it comes to staying healthy, knowledge is power. One of the most important tools for preventive care and early intervention is understanding family health history.
Most families have at least one member with a chronic condition*. But many people don’t know which health conditions run in their family. Without this information, important screenings or checkups can be overlooked. Issues may go unnoticed or be discovered after they’ve progressed and are harder to treat.
Knowing your family medical information helps you take charge of your health and make proactive choices as you age.
What is family health history?
Many factors can affect people’s health. These include:
- Genetics
- Age
- Sex
- Environment
- Lifestyle behaviors
Some of these factors may be shared among family members. So, understanding your family members’ health journeys can give clues for your own.
Knowing what health conditions your family members have had or currently live with is a key part of preventive care and staying healthy. This can include chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more.
Understanding this history* can help you find health problems early. This is especially important as people get older, when the likelihood of developing chronic conditions increases*.
Knowing your family medical history can help you decide which tests or procedures you should get and when to get them, so you can stay ahead of potential health problems. For example, if memory loss runs in your family, getting tested as you age can help catch early signs, even before you or loved ones notice symptoms. This gives you a chance to take action sooner and get the right care when it matters most. It can also help you make targeted lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of certain conditions.
Using family talks as planning tools
The best way to learn about family health history is by talking to relatives. Start with the people closest to you. This includes grandparents, parents, siblings and half-siblings.
Other family members are important, too. Talk to aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins from both sides of your family. This gives you a more complete picture of what health conditions run in your family.
These conversations might be hard or take a lot of time. To get the most out of these conversations, you can:
- Make a list of which family members will be the most helpful to talk to
- Use family events like holidays, birthdays or reunions to bring up medical history naturally
- Write down questions before talking with family members so you don’t forget anything important
- Keep records by writing things down or using online tracking tools
Family health history questions
When talking to your family, ask questions like:
- Do you or any of your relatives have chronic health conditions or diseases? These may include:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart problems, including heart attack
- Mental health
- Alzheimer’s/dementia
- What age(s) were you or your relatives when diagnosed with these conditions or experienced these problems?
- Did any of these diagnoses occur before the age of 40 or 50?
- Are/were these conditions managed and controlled?
When family health history isn’t available, people can still take steps to understand and manage their health. This can be due to loss of family members, adoption or other factors. Sometimes public records can reveal relevant medical information. In some states, people may be able to request birth parents’ health records*. Finding this information can be difficult and emotionally challenging. But it can give you important clues to help you stay healthy as you age. Other options like genetic testing may help people assess their risks instead.
Making informed choices as you age
Family medical history is a powerful tool for aging well and staying healthy longer. While it is a tool, it is not a perfect crystal ball. Just because a parent or grandparent had heart disease does not mean you will, too. But knowing your increased risks can help patients manage their health.
Collecting family medical information is just the first step. It’s important to share it with your doctors.
Then, they can:
- Make a preventive care plan that fits your unique needs
- Suggest which tests and screenings you should get and when to start them
- Find potential risks and give you the right treatments or help you make lifestyle changes to prevent or delay health conditions
Leveraging family health information helps older adults with Medicare planning
Having these conversations with family is important for long-term health planning. Similarly, discussing health plans with family helps plan for long-term health needs. These conversations can work in tandem.
When people know what conditions run in their family, they can select health plan coverage that includes the right doctors, medications and benefits that will best support current and future health needs. For example, if you are age 65 and older and have a family history of type 2 diabetes, you or your loved ones may want a Medicare plan that has access to preferred diabetes specialists, covers insulin and monitoring supplies and includes care management programs with preventive screenings and lifestyle support.
If you or your older family members are approaching 65, talk to family members about which plans have worked well for them. Their experiences can be a helpful starting point in finding the right plan for your health needs and risks.
You can share the Aetna Medicare Friends & Family number 844-527-3851 (TTY: 711) or give it a call yourself. The licensed professionals who answer are extensively trained in Medicare and products for people 65 and over.
Learn more about Medicare offerings.
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Turning history into a healthy future
Family health history is more than just information. It’s a roadmap for preventing problems, finding them early and making better health care choices.
The more complete information you have, the better you and your doctor can help you stay healthy at every stage of life, especially as you age.
Articles in this section
- Making health insurance work better for providers
- Family health history: A roadmap for healthy aging
- White paper: Value-based care for older adults
- Aetna member commitment: Prioritizing your health
- Understanding your Aetna member rights
- How our clinical policy and quality standards keep you safe
- Understanding denials, appeals and the coverage dispute process
- Value-based care: Better health, lower costs
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