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J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 131, No 1, 59-66. © 2000 American Dental Association

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Background. The authors conducted a study to investigate the feasibility of having patients enter their health histories, or HHs, directly into a computer so the HHs then can be transferred into computer-based patient records. The authors examined a patient-completed, pen-based computerized HH questionnaire to determine if it is acceptable to patients, if patients answer sensitive questions on the HH questionnaire more forthrightly using a computer than a pen and paper, and if the availability of explanations and examples provided for each question on the computer questionnaire results in more accurate responses than on the paper version.

Methods. Fifty subjects completed two almost identical versions of a 78-item HH questionnaire, completing either the pen-based, computerized version first or the paper version first. After the subjects finished the questionnaires, they completed an opinion survey about using the computer to provide their HHs.

Results. Subjects responded favorably to the use of a pen-based computer questionnaire to provide their HH; 73 percent indicated that they would prefer to use it in the future rather than complete a paper questionnaire. The authors found that the overall reliability of answers was 93 percent with an average of 5.4 inconsistent answers between the two HH questionnaires.

Conclusions. HHs can be collected efficiently and reliably from patients using a computer. It is important, however, that oral health care professionals review the data provided on HHs with their patients regardless of method used to collect them.

Clinical Implications. Practices can expand the use of computers into more areas of patient care by having patients complete a computerized HH questionnaire. Computerized data capture is more legible, complete and efficient than a paper HH and can be imported directly into clinical data systems, thus avoiding data entry.

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