T.W.U. Institute for Women's Health Pioneer Project

Year 1 Family History Questionnaire

We can learn about risks of disease by asking women what diseases have run in their families. This questionnaire asks you about several diseases that may occur in more than one member of a family. For all of these questions, please think about full-blooded relatives only. Do not think about half-sisters or half-brothers, or relatives who are related to you by marriage or adoption. Full-blooded sisters and brothers are those who had the same two parents as you. If you are adopted or are not sure about some relatives' health history, please include any family history that you know about.


1. Have you ever had any full-blooded sisters who reached adulthood (age 21)?
yes
no
don't know
 
1.1 How many sisters?
 
2. Have you ever had any full-blooded brothers who reached adulthood (age 21)?
yes
no
don't know
 
2.1 How many brothers?
 
3. Have you ever had any daughters who reached adulthood (age 21)?
yes
no
don't know
 
3.1 How many daughters?
 
4. Have you ever had any sons who reached adulthood (age 21)?
yes
no
don't know
 
4.1 How many sons?
 
The next two questions are about your natural (not adoptive) mother and father.

5. Is your natural mother still alive?
yes
no
don't know
 
5.1 How old was she when she died? (Please guess as closely as you can.)
 
5.2 How old is she now? (Please guess as closely as you can.)
 
6. Is your natural father still alive?
yes
no
don't know
 
6.1 How old was he when he died? (Please guess as closely as you can.)
 
6.2 How old is he now? (Please guess as closely as you can.)
 
7. Did your mother, father, full-blooded sisters, full-blooded brothers, daughters, or sons ever have sugar diabetes or high blood sugar that first appeared as an adult?
yes
no
don't know
 
7.1 How many of these relatives had diabetes?
 
8. Did your mother, father, full-blooded sisters, full-blooded brothers, daughters, or sons ever have a heart attack or myocardial infarction?
No (Skip to Question 9)
Don't know (Skip to Question 9)
Yes
 
Please answer the following questions for each of your relatives. If you do not have a full-blooded sister, full-blooded brother, daughter, or son, leave the bubble blank.

Age of First Heart Attack

< 55 55 - 59 60 - 64 65+ Don't Know
Mother
Father
Sister
Sister
Sister
Brother
Brother
Brother
Daughter
Daughter
Son
Son
9. Did your mother, father, full-blooded sisters, full-blooded brothers, daughters, or sons ever have a stroke?
yes
no
don't know
 
9.1 How many of these relatives had a stroke?
 
These next questions are about cancers your relatives may have had. For each question, mark "Yes" only if it describes the area where the relative's cancer started. Often cancers will start in one place and then spread. We are interested in where the cancer started.

Female relatives

10. Did any of your female relatives ever have cancer? For female relatives, please answer about your mother, full-blooded sisters, daughters, and grandmothers. Do not include aunts, cousins, and nieces.)
No (Skip to Question 16)
Don't know (Skip to Question 16)
Yes
 
11. Did your mother, full-blooded sisters, daughters, or grandmothers ever have breast cancer?
No (Skip to Question 12)
Don't know (Skip to Question 12)
Yes
 
11.1 Please answer the following questions for each of your female relatives who had breast cancer. If you do not have a full-blooded sister or daughter, leave the spaces blank. Please note that the age category is different than for the question about heart attacks in relatives.
 
Age of Detection of Breast Cancer

< 45 45+ Don't Know Age
Mother
Sister
Sister
Sister
Daughter
Daughter
Daughter
Maternal Grandmother (Mother's Mother)
Paternal Grandmother (Father's Mother)
 
12. Did your mother, full-blooded sisters, daughters, or grandmothers ever have cancer of the colon, rectum, intestine, or bowel?
No (Skip to Question 13)
Don't know (Skip to Question 13)
Yes
 
12.1 Please answer the following questions for each of your female relatives who had colon, rectum, intestine, or bowel cancer. If you do not have a full-blooded sister or daughter, leave the spaces blank.
 
Age of Detection of Colon, Rectum, Intestinal Cancer

< 45 45+ Don't Know Age
Mother
Sister
Sister
Sister
Daughter
Daughter
Daughter
Maternal Grandmother (Mother's Mother)
Paternal Grandmother (Father's Mother)
 
13. Did your mother, full-blooded sisters, or daughters ever have cancer of the cervix (opening to the womb)?
yes
no
don't know
 
13.1 How many of these relatives had cancer of the cervix?
 
14. Did your mother, full-blooded sisters, or daughters ever have cancer of the uterus, womb, or endometrium (lining of the womb)?
yes
no
don't know
 
14.1 How many of these relatives had cancer of the uterus, womb, or endometrium?
 
15. Did your mother, full-blooded sisters, or daughters ever have cancer of the ovaries?
yes
no
don't know
 
15.1 How many of these relatives had cancer of the ovaries?
 
Male relatives

16. Did any of your male relatives ever have cancer? (For male relatives, please answer about your father, full-blooded brothers, sons, and grandfathers. Do not include uncles, cousins, and nephews.)
No (Skip to Question 19)
Don't know (Skip to Question 19)
Yes
 
17. Did your father, full-blooded brothers, or sons ever have cancer of the colon, rectum, intestine, or bowel?
No (Skip to Question 18)
Don't know (Skip to Question 18)
Yes
 
17.1 Please answer the following questions for each of your male relatives who had colon, rectum, intestine, or bowel cancer. If you do not have a full-blooded brother or son, leave those bubbles blank.
 
Age of Detection of Colon, Rectum, Intestinal Cancer

< 45 45+ Don't Know Age
Father
Brother
Brother
Brother
Son
Son
Son
Maternal Grandfather (Mother's Father)
Paternal Grandfather (Father's Father)
18. Did your father, full-blooded brothers, or sons ever have cancer of the prostate (male gland)?
yes
no
don't know
 
18.1 How many of these relatives had cancer of the prostate?
 
Finally we want to ask some questions about your parent's bones.

19. Did your mother ever break or fracture a bone after she was 40 years old?
No (Skip to Question 20)
Don't know (Skip to Question 20)
Yes
 
19.1 Please answer the following questions for each of the bones listed below. If she broke the bone more than once, mark her age when it was first broken.
Age of First Broken Bone

40 - 55 55+ Don't Know Age
a) Hip
b) Spine (Back/Vertebra)
c) Upper Arm (humerus)
d) Lower arm or wrist
e) Other (specify):
 
20. Did your father ever break or fracture a bone after he was 40 years old?
No (Skip to Question 21)
Don't know (Skip to Question 21)
Yes
 
20.1 Please answer the following questions for each of the bones listed below. If he broke the bone more than once, mark his age when it was first broken.
Age of First Broken Bone

40 - 55 55+ Don't Know Age
a) Hip
b) Spine (Back/Vertebra)
c) Upper Arm (humerus)
d) Lower arm or wrist
e) Other (specify):
 
21. Other illnesses. Please answer the following questions for all full-blooded family members that experienced the following medical conditions. If NONE of your blood relatives have experienced the medical conditions listed, leave the bubbles blank.
 
21a. Heart problems other than heart attack: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21b. High blood pressure: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21c. Sudden, unexplained death: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21d. High Cholesterol: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21e. Diabetes: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21f. Osteoporosis: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21g. Obesity: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle
 
21h. Thyroid disease: Mother
Father
Sister
Brother
Daughter
Son
Paternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Aunt
Uncle