The Value Of The Patient History In The Periodic Health Evaluation: Patient Interviews Capture 4 Times More Injuries Than Electronic Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of the patient interview and electronic questionnaire methods of health history data collection in elite athletes.DESIGN: Cohort study.METHODS: A retrospective chart review compared health history data collected by questionnaire and by interview in a cohort of 142 athletes who participated in a periodic health evaluation at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center sports medicine clinic. The main outcome measure was number of injuries reported by either interview or written questionnaire.RESULTS: Six hundred twenty-six injuries were reported by interview and 157 by questionnaire. The mean +/- SD number of injuries reported per participant was 4.4 +/- 4.2 by interview and 1.1 +/- 1.3 by questionnaire (difference, 3.3; P<.001). Capture rate by method was similar across sexes and for both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. More injuries were reported by interview than by questionnaire for all injury categories, except for concussions and surgeries.CONCLUSION: Patient interviews capture 4 times as many past or current injuries than electronic questionnaires in athletes training for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Questionnaires provide incomplete health history information in this patient population.