Is there anyway I can find out my family's history?

Question

As in, like, health and stuff, like, if they had any disorders or illnesses or anything?

I was adopted, and I was born in South Korea and stuff... so, yeah...

Answer 1

"Adoption records usually contain what is called nonidentifying information, such as the race, ethnicity, and age of the birth parents, as well as something about their educational levels, occupations, interests, skills, and medical history. Identifying information, such as names and addresses, are usually not included in adoption records. Policies vary from state to state about how much information is collected, and how it is maintained and disclosed. Generally, because medical information is not updated after a child or infant is relinquished for adoption, the information in your adoption file may be outdated.

For any number of reasons, past records may contain minimal information. Agencies, private facilitators, or lawyers counseling birth mothers do not always place sufficient importance on complete histories, and birth mothers are sometimes hesitant to pass along what they see as personal information. They may also be unaware that it is important to provide information about their own parents and other relatives, as well as their own history. Finally, if the birth parents develop a genetic health condition years after relinquishing a child for adoption, they may not realize the importance of updating the records.

Even if your records are not as complete as you might wish, they are a place to start. There may be some medical information in your record that you were unaware of, especially if your file contains information about both birth parents and any extended family. It is also important to know your true ethnic and racial heritage, because some ethnicities are more likely to be affected by certain conditions; for example, Ashkenazi Jews are at higher risk than the general population for breast and possibly colon cancer. Certain genetic disorders that can be screened for at birth, such as G6PD deficiency, are more common in other ethnic groups. Many such diseases can be detected early and result in fewer complications if the physician knows there is a family history, or is aware there may be a reason to do early screening."