Here are some of the diseases and conditions to track. They represent the most common health problems that may emanate from one's family. It is not a comprehensive list.
- ADHD
- alcoholism
- allergies
- arthritis
- asthma
- bipolar disorder
- many cancers including breast, colon, prostate, and ovarian
- dementia and Alzheimer's disease
- depression
- diabetes
- glaucoma
- hearing loss
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- learning disabilities
- miscarriage or toxemia
- osteoporosis
- stroke and aneurysm
- surgeries (including cesarean section)
- vision loss
A more comprehensive list may be found through the National Institutes of Health.
What if your relative is healthy and there are no health or medical challenges to record? Lucky relative! And, for your purposes, that's exactly what you should record -- the person's age, and the fact that there are no problems to record. Update the information later if that situation changes.
Has a relative already died? If you can learn how that person died, especially if it is from one of the diseases or conditions listed, then be sure to track that, too. Included should be any cancers, and what body system the cancer started in (not just the places it metastasized (spread) to.)
You may find, too, that older relatives, or even those who have already died, may be reported as having a disease or condition that was historically called something different from what it's called today. Tuberculosis was called "the consumption." Atherosclerosis was called "hardening of the arteries." You can always refer to a list of old disease names vs what they are called today, or simply input the name you record to a search engine to find the more modern label.
