family history
Last reviewed 01/2018
Age, and health - or cause of death - of parents, sibs, spouse and/or children. Occasionally enquire regarding other relatives, eg grandparents.
Enquire specifically - tb, diabetes or other disease of relevance.
NB death certificates and patient's knowledge often inaccurate, Sometimes taboo regarding mental illness, epilepsy, cancer.
(family history gives clues to possible predisposition to illness, and to whether patient may have reason to be particularly anxious about a particular disease)