Know your family ancestry, conditions, traits, and traditions (FACTs) DC: Genomic education and risk assessment services

Family health history is a practical, cost-effective, and engaging tool that is important in identifying individuals at an increased risk for heritable conditions. The “Know Your FACTs©” (KYF) community education program aimed to encourage minorities to discuss their family health history with their family members and primary care physicians, to accurately assess risks and develop care plans accordingly. Brochures educating about family health history were distributed in community-based settings. Surveys were administered to determine intentions to use and share their family health history after the use of the KYF tool. A total of 45 surveys were collected, where the majority (91%) answered that they “intend to use the family health history collection tool” and (91%) “intend to share the tool with their family members”. Similarly, the majority (87%) answered that they “will seek cancer screening after use of the tool” and that they “will share their family health history tool with their doctor (87%).” For those who shared the tool with their physicians, 58% of the physicians made recommendations based on their family history vs. 42% did not make recommendations. Many participants answered that they would make lifestyle changes (31% will do breast self-exams, 27% will change their diets, 38% will exercise more, and 9% will quit smoking). These findings support the implementation of our “Know Your FACTs©” program, showing that the community is interested in their health and that our efforts to increase awareness of family health history also increased referrals to genetic counseling services at Howard University.