Did you know that learning about your family’s health history could help you protect your kidneys? A new guide from the American Kidney Fund’s (AKF) Kidney Health for All Health Equity Program makes it easier to start that conversation, and to use what you learn to live a healthier life.

The free Family Health History Guide helps you talk with your loved ones about their health, understand your family’s risk for kidney disease, and create your own family health history chart to share with your doctor.

👉 Flip through and download the guide today to take the first step toward better kidney health for yourself and your family.*

Why Family Health History Matters

Your family health history is a record of health conditions that run in your family, including your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Knowing this information can help you and your doctor:

• Understand your risk for kidney disease, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Learn when to start screening for kidney problems.
• Identify whether you might benefit from genetic testing.
• Take action early to prevent or slow disease progression.

“If you discover from your family history that you have a higher chance of developing kidney disease, you and your doctor can take steps to keep your kidneys healthy,” the guide explains.

For example, if several relatives developed kidney disease before age 50, your doctor might recommend screening you earlier and more frequently.

Why These Conversations Matter — Especially in Underserved Communities

In the United States, nearly 1 in 3 people with kidney failure are Black, and Hispanic/Latino people are twice as likely to develop kidney failure as non-Hispanic white people.

The AKF guide acknowledges that it can be harder to gather family health history in some communities, especially when:

• People aren’t sure about their family roots, or
• Health information hasn’t been shared openly across generations.

The guide offers simple, culturally sensitive strategies for starting those important conversations and breaking the stigma around discussing health.

* American Kidney Fund (August 12, 2025). “Genes to Generation: Know your family’s health history”. kidneyfund.org

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