title: Use of a bilingual medical history questionnaire in the emergency department.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Chicago.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Nasr
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cordero
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Houmes
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Fagan
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Rydman
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Green
mesh_terms: 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