Home Real Life Stories Did You Know? Tell Us Your Story Find A Social Worker
Social Workers. Help Starts Here. Help Starts Here Collage
  About Social Workers
Professional Standards
Press Room
NASW
Careers
Site Search
Submit an Article
Kids and Family
Mind and Spirit
Health and Wellness
Seniors and Aging
Issues and Answers
 
  Home :: Health & Wellness View Printer Friendly version Print Version


Family Genetics

Our genes determine our physical appearance, our personality, how our body functions, and other characteristics that make each person unique. As genes are passed down from generation to generation, medical conditions and diseases, or the increased risk for disease, tend to run in families due to gene abnormalities. Health care professionals now better understand how irregular genes are passed from one generation to the next and have an increased ability to test for hundreds of inherited illnesses.