MORE than nine in ten GPs in Yorkshire believe their patients need to know more about hereditary conditions that run in their family.
And of those who are able to provide some basic health details, nearly half of doctors in Yorkshire say they don't feel confident that the information is accurate.
The 'Healthcare Heritage' study of more than 200 Yorkshire GPs and 1,000 adults, which was commissioned by Norwich Union Healthcare, also found that more than a third of people in Yorkshire (35%) admit they would not feel confident about answering their GP knowledgeably when asked about illnesses that ran in their family.
And most people don't even think it's anything to worry about, with more than four in five people in Yorkshire saying they don't feel they need to know about their family's health history.
Dr Ann Robinson, GP, said: "We often know more about our friends' health than we do about our own grandparents, aunts and uncles.
"But a detailed knowledge of your own family's health problems could help to save your life. Most common, serious illnesses are potentially inherited.
"If you know you have a family tendency to develop Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes or some types of cancer, you can get specific advice about how to prevent the disease."
