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Family Health History

Decent Essays

Individuals that know and understand their family’s health history are more prepared to change, adjust, and plan strategies that reduce their risk of developing and susceptibility to genetic diseases and other health ailments. I will reflect on the history, health problems, and risks of genetic diseases present for each family member throughout three generations. Advancements in genetic scientific research may predict an individual’s susceptibility to diseases and health ailments and may encourage behavioral changes to reduce this risk (Collins, Ryan, & Truby, 2014, p. 480). Questions, interventions, answers, and strategies will be presented throughout this paper to ensure a better understanding of health risks and ailments prevalent in …show more content…

I have chosen my sister’s family as the focus of this reflection. Paternal and maternal grandparents shared a health history that consists of heart disease, diabetes type II, lung cancer, and depression. My sister is in her mid-fifties and has been recently diagnosed with type II diabetes. My father’s health problems consisted of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and type II diabetes and died at age 81. My mother suffered from depression in the last ten years of her life and succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 66. Her husband is the same age and has a health history that includes heart disease and had a quadruple coronary artery bypass three years ago. Both his mother and father died in their sixties after experiences many years with various cardiac ailments and disease. The oldest, a son, is 26 years old and has not experienced any serious health problems and is very active physically. Their middle child, a daughter, is 24 years old and does not have any serious health problems and works as a nanny. Their youngest son, now 23, experienced problems soon after his birth. The doctors diagnosed him as having the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF). This was a very emotional time that produced many questions and worries not only for his immediate health and of what quality of life he would have, but also of the risks that this genetic …show more content…

Health risks involving the effects of how excess mucus in the lungs causes respiratory problems and how it prevents the pancreas from releasing digestive enzymes that break down food and absorb vital nutrients will be discussed (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2016). An intervention and treatment plan will be tailored to the individual and include specialized management and care of dedicated and specialized medical professionals. Therapies will be discussed and implemented that will provide techniques, equipment, and medicines that will loosen and thin mucus to clear the airways, reduce infections, and improve the absorption of vital

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