Use of a bilingual medical history questionnaire in the emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that a complete and rapid clinical history can be obtained using a self-administered, bilingual questionnaire.


METHODS
A post-test experimental design was used to evaluate time spent obtaining the history and information completeness for the two groups.


METHODS
Urban county emergency department.


METHODS
All patients were non-English-speaking Hispanic women who presented with gynecologic complaints.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients completed a history questionnaire in Spanish on a form that displayed their responses in English on the carbon copy. In the control group, a history was obtained using a bilingual interpreter.


RESULTS
Average completion time was significantly less (t = 14.38; P < .0001) for the experimental group (chi 2 = 5.67 minutes; SD, 1.89) than for controls (chi 2 = 14.58 minutes; SD, 4.19). There was no statistical difference in review criteria for documentation between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Using a bilingual questionnaire to obtain a clinical history results in more rapid patient evaluation without affecting the quality of information obtained.
Nasr
I
I
Department of Emergency Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Chicago.
Cordero
M
M
Houmes
B
B
Fagan
J
J
Rydman
R
R
Green
C
C
D000328:Adult; D002641:Chicago; D003142:Communication; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006766:Hospitals, County / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires