Abstract

Among the inherited multifactorial diseases are included a number of the common chronic diseases of adults. Assignment of risks within high-risk families, based on both genetic and environmental factors, offers opportunity for prevention of a portion of the present chronic disease burden. The most realistic option for prevention must be assessed for each disease, since this varies from no options to a relatively simple decision to avoid a specific environmental risk factor. Attention to specific options for prevention is an aid to identifying areas of high priority research, such as (1) factors which influence compliance with preventive management, (2) the quality of the physician-patient relationship, (3) environmental monitoring and technics for assessing genetic susceptibility to environmental risks, and (4) education of physicians in the art of chronic disease prevention.