Evaluating Tools for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of a new family history tool, Family Healthware™ by determining whether family history risk assessment and personalized prevention messages have any impact on health behaviors and use of medical services. The hypothesis to be tested is that patients who are provided with personalized prevention messages based on an assessment of their family history of disease will be more motivated to make behavior changes and use preventive health services than patients who do not have their family history assessed and who receive only generalized (not personalized) prevention messages. An additional hypothesis, tested when participants see their primary care physician during the study, is that providing a copy of the graphical family history, risk and prevention messages to the patient's physician will increase delivery of recommended preventive services (screening, referral, and health habit advice).

The study will consist of enrolling approximately 8360 patients aged 35-65 years who attend primary care practices that are part of research networks affiliated with the three research centers. The practices will be randomized into two groups. Patients in practices randomized to Group 1 will complete a pre-test and the family history tool, and will receive personalized prevention messages based on their level of familial risk and current risk behaviors. After six months, Group 1 patients will complete a post-test. Patients in Group 2 will complete the pre-test and receive standard prevention messages (appropriate for sex) about maintaining good health and preventing disease. After 6 months Group 2 patients will complete the post-test and the family history tool. The pre- and post-test will include assessment of risk factors, use of medical services (especially preventive services), interest in modifying health behaviors, risk perceptions, etc. The analysis will compare changes in health behaviors between patients in Groups 1 and 2 and will also examine differences by familial risk strata (average, moderate, high).