Coming Out to my Doctor as Biracial

At my annual visit to my doctor--who I like and respect--I thought, for the first time, that maybe I should make sure to tell her I am biracial.

The detailed check-in form does not request that I designate my race, nor has my doctor (who is white) ever inquired about my background.  I assume that she thinks that I am African-American or maybe Latina--this doesn't bother me in and of itself.  But it occurred to me this week that maybe it does make a difference in the way that she weighs her questions or answers about my medical health.  If there are diseases that people of African-American or Hispanic descent are less likely to get than those of Caucasian descent, is she not necessarily looking for signs and symptoms of those diseases in me?

I started to think about this when I took a health quiz in a women's magazine.  One of the factors accounted for in addressing whether you were at higher risk for certain cancers was your race.  (Of course, I checked both black and white--so I suddenly had higher-risk numbers in a couple of different categories for cancer!)  We know that finding bone marrow donors becomes more difficult for mixed-race people--but what do we know about how "racial" risk factors for disease effect mixed-race people?

In college, I had a very pro-active health care provider.  She ordered a long-standing mole removed, got me to take my vitamins (I swear I'm going to start again next week), and also had me tested for some genetic trait that by all math I shouldn't have--because it is mostly found in people of Mediterranean descent.  It turns out that I am a carrier --but it has no impact on me.

I do fear bringing up this kind of issue.  It seems that it could be so easily twisted around somehow.  But what do you think?