Skip to main content
Log in

Inaccuracies in patient medical histories

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Comprehensive Therapy

Abstract

Of patients who completed the same medical history questionnaire twice within a certain time period, 66% had at least 1 significant omission in their history. Consideration is given to the merits of a national medical history computerized database.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lutka RW, Threadgill JM. Correlation of dental-record medical histories with outpatient medical records.Gen Dent. 1995;43(4):342–345.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Malats N, Belloc J, Gallen M, Porta M. Disagreement between hospital medical records and a structured patient interview on the type and date of the first symptom in cancers of the digestive tract.Revue d Epidemiologie et de Sante Publique. 1995;43(6):533–540.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Westbrook JI, McIntosh JH, Rushworth RL, Berry G, Duggan JM. Agreement between medical record data and patients’ accounts of their medical history and treatment for dyspepsia.J Clin Epidemiol. 1998;51(3):237–244.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Daly KA, Lindgren B, Giebink GS. Validity of parental report of a child’s medical history in otitis media research.Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:1116–1121.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Metter EJ, Metter EL, Costa PT, Brant LJ, Zonderman A, Fozard JL. Response stability and reliability in longitudinal health evaluations.Aging Clin Exp Res. 1992;4:43–52.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Corwin RG, Krober M, Roth HP. Patients’ accuracy in reporting their past medical history: a study of 90 patients with peptic ulcer.J Chron Dis. 1971;23:875–879.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ramoska EA, Sacchetti AD, Nepp M. Reliability of patient history in determining the possibility of pregnancy.Ann Emerg Med. 1989;18:48–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Brady WF, Martinoff JT. Validity of health history data collected from dental patients and patient perception of health status.J Am Dent Assoc. 1980;101(4):642–645.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Bradford BP, Reinert KG, Graham BP. Accuracy of self-reported health histories: a study.Mil Med. 1993;158:263–265.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kelly JP, Rosenberg L, Kaufman DW, Shapiro S. Reliability of personal interview data in a hospital-based case-control study.Am J Epidemiol. 1990;131:79–90.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bjerregaard B, Brynitz S, Holst-Christensen P, et al. The reliability of medical history and physical examination in patients with acute abdominal pain.Methods Inf Med. 1983; 22:15–18.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Domarad BR, Buschmann MT. Interviewing older adults: increasing the credibility of interview data.J Gerontol Nurs. 1995;21(9):14–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Seltzer MH, Koster DM. Medical history inaccuracies in patients undergoing breast biopsy.Female Patient. 1997;22: 35–43.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Scully C, Boyle P. Reliability of a self-administered questionnaire for screening for medical problems in dentistry.Comm Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1983;11(2):14–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Cochrane AL, Chapman PJ, Oldham PD. Observers’ errors in taking medical histories.Lancet. 1951;2:1007–1009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Collen MF, Cutler JL, Siegelaub AB, Cella RL. Reliability of a self-administered medical questionnaire.Arch Intern Med. 1969;123:664–681.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Fletcher CM. The problem of observer variation in medical diagnosis with special reference to chest diseases.Methods Inf Med. 1964;3:98–103.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Namba H, Miyawaki K, Sugiyama S. Automatic history taking machine.Med J Osaka Univ. 1965;16:225–233.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Mayne JG, Weksel W, Sholtz PN. Toward automating the medical history.Mayo Clin Proc. 1968;43:1–25.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Houziaux M, Lefebvre PJ. Historical and methodological aspects of computer-assisted medical history-taking.Med Inf. 1986;11(2):129–143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Powsner SM, Wyatt JC, Wright P. Opportunities for and challenges of computerisation.Lancet. 1998;352:1617–1622.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Schneidman DS. The medical records confidentiality issue: an overview.Bull Am Coll Surg. 1998;83:19–23.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Seltzer, M.H., McDermott, J.H. Inaccuracies in patient medical histories. Compr Ther 25, 258–264 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02944267

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02944267

Keywords

Navigation