Which of the following histories assesses a patient's future family health risks?

The choice that best assesses a patient's future family health risks is family history. Family history involves documenting health conditions that relatives have experienced, which can provide insights into genetic predispositions to specific diseases and health issues. This information is crucial for understanding a patient's risk for developing similar conditions and can guide preventive care and screening recommendations.

In a medical context, knowing a patient's family history allows healthcare providers to identify patterns that may indicate a hereditary condition. For example, if a patient has a family history of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, physicians may consider this when evaluating the patient's health and planning future interventions.

Surgical history, developmental history, and medication history focus on different aspects of a patient’s health. Surgical history reviews past operations, developmental history assesses growth milestones and early life issues, and medication history relates to treatments a patient has received. While these histories are essential for comprehensive care, they do not directly evaluate potential future health risks based on family genetics or inherited conditions.