During a case history, which type of questions should be used?

During a case history, which type of questions should be used?

• A. Closed-ended questions
• B. Open-ended questions
• C. Only multiple-choice questions
• D. No questions

Answer: (B)

Opening up the conversation with the patient through open-ended questions is essential because it invites a narrative about their experiences, symptoms, and daily life in their own words. This approach helps uncover the full context—when problems started, how they progress, what triggers or worsens them, and how vision changes affect activities like reading, driving, or navigating spaces. It also builds rapport and makes the patient feel heard, which can reveal concerns they might not mention with a yes/no prompt. In contrast, closed-ended questions tend to limit responses to yes or no or very short answers, so you miss important details, nuances, and the patient’s priorities. Relying on multiple-choice questions restricts the patient to predefined options and can overlook unique experiences. Asking no questions would fail to obtain the information needed for an accurate history. A practical approach is to begin with prompts like, “Tell me about what brings you in today,” or “What changes have you noticed in your vision recently?” followed by, “How does this affect your daily activities?” These open-ended prompts encourage a richer, more informative case history, while you can follow up with targeted questions later to confirm specifics as needed.

Opening up the conversation with the patient through open-ended questions is essential because it invites a narrative about their experiences, symptoms, and daily life in their own words. This approach helps uncover the full context—when problems started, how they progress, what triggers or worsens them, and how vision changes affect activities like reading, driving, or navigating spaces. It also builds rapport and makes the patient feel heard, which can reveal concerns they might not mention with a yes/no prompt.

In contrast, closed-ended questions tend to limit responses to yes or no or very short answers, so you miss important details, nuances, and the patient’s priorities. Relying on multiple-choice questions restricts the patient to predefined options and can overlook unique experiences. Asking no questions would fail to obtain the information needed for an accurate history.

A practical approach is to begin with prompts like, “Tell me about what brings you in today,” or “What changes have you noticed in your vision recently?” followed by, “How does this affect your daily activities?” These open-ended prompts encourage a richer, more informative case history, while you can follow up with targeted questions later to confirm specifics as needed.