I went to my family doctor to do a full physical. Before he started he asked me a slew of questions. Most of them medically realted such as family history etc. But he asked 3 that I thought were kind of weird. 1. Do I own any guns or have any guns at home (No). 2. Am I sexually active outside of my marriage (No). 3. Do I drink alcohol (No). But then he asked me Why don't I drink alcohol? I was just curious especialy the why I don't drink alcohol one. What would you think is the reasoning behind these questions?
2007-02-15 03:14:27 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Wow, there are a lot of answers to this question already. Most of them are either based on assumption or they are wrong. I am a physician, and yes, we are taught to ask these questions in medical school as part of a patient profile and what they determine as risk stratification.
1. Guns in the house are risk stratification for injury, self inflicted or otherwise. There were probably some other questions about depression or a risk of depression that seemed more benign like hobbies, dietary habits, sleeping pattern and family history, etc. I am not sure that I agree with the "powers that be" in terms of this as a risk. I live in a rural community and almost everyone has a gun in their house, most people have several. I have always thought this was a bit of a push by a liberal higher education agenda. I have not seen a statistic that clearly showed "owning a gun" as an isolated variable really increased risk of injury. But let me get off of MY soapbox and on to the other parts of your question.
2. The sex question is based on risk and percentages of disease possibilities.
Here's an example:
Q: Do you have sex outside of marriage?
A: Yes.
Q: Is it with more than one other partner or multiple?
A: Multiple.
Q: Do you use condoms to protect from STDs?
A: No.
Q: Are these other partners in high risk groups for sexually transmitted diseases, for example, prostitutes, IV drug users?
Etc.
Since you answered "No" at the first question, the line stopped there.
3. Risk of alcohol related diseases including alcoholism. If you don't drink then that's OK. Not really a risk factor in not drinking. If you answered "Yes,” Then the next question would be, "How much." If you answer "No" then it's "Why not?" The concern is that there is some other associated entity with drinking. Possible answers that could potentially raise concerns: "No, I don't drink because I am a recovering alcoholic." "No, I don't drink because I grew up in a family with a parent who was an alcoholic, and I never want to be that way." These two answers increase you physician's awareness of you and possible health concerns in the future. I have personally heard both of these answers on more than one occasion.
As far as turning this information over to the insurance company it depends. Was this a screening exam to get insurance? Then that is a possibility; but if you are already established then this information is between you and your physician only.
I hope this was informative. It was a long answer, but as in most medical questions the answer is almost never simple.
2007-02-15 04:02:22 · answer #1 · answered by dustoff 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well -a gun in your home could possibly be a danger if it falls into the wrong hands, or accidentally goes off (hey, it happens...especially to those you would least expect it to happen to), or if you should at some point become suicidal.
Sex outside of marriage...that's a no-brainer - STDs would be first and foremost.
Alcohol...there are benefits to drinking in moderate - like a glass or two of red wine or a beer or something. And of if you did say you drank alcohol he would ask how much to determine whether or not you were an alcoholic or at risk for any alcohol-related diseases, etc.
2007-02-15 11:24:13 · answer #2 · answered by Sunidaze 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.- Guns can be shot obviously and injure someone.
2.- Not monogamous sexual intercourse increases the possibility of gettin STDs.
3.- Lots of people say they DON'T drink alcohol when they DO drink it in a social basis. They believe that the question means "Do you drink too much or have a drinking problem?" To drink even in a social basis can make someone prone to accidents as car crashes.
Firearms injuries, STDs and car crashes are health problems that everyone wished to prevent and avoid.
2007-02-15 11:22:01 · answer #3 · answered by mbestevez 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they ask broad spectrum questions like these because our hmo's and health insurance requires them. insurance can refuse payment if you have a preexisting condition. drs ask these ?s to know what kind of problems they could expect to find from you. If you would have said you had a gun, the dr probably would have given you some info on gun safety. Had you answered yes to the extramarital sex question, you would have been given resources on std. about alcohol... this is common, just like asking if you smoked. Alcohol is bad for you and your health, so the dr will want to know if you have ever had a problem with it, which is why he asks why you don't drink.
2007-02-15 11:22:19 · answer #4 · answered by tornado 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can understand the question of whether or not you are sexually active outside your marriage because if you are, you should be tested for STD's. I can also understand the question of whether or not you drink alcohol because that alone can cause health problems. But why he asked why you don't drink alcohol is beyond me. And the gun question has me puzzled also. What does that have to do with anything and why would it be any of his business anyway?
2007-02-15 11:19:09 · answer #5 · answered by ticktock 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The guns question is to ensure you keep them safely locked, ammo separate from guns, and out of the reach of children. Also, if you suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts, your doctor needs to know if you have access to guns.
The sexually active question is a no brainer. Your doctor needs to know how often to test you for HIV/AIDS and STDs.
The alcohol question is interesting. My doctor actually told me that I need to drink MORE. Wine aids in digestion and helps to lower bad cholesterol. On the flip side, alcohol abuse can cause all sorts of health problems and your doctor needs to know this.
Sounds to me like you have a very good doctor.
2007-02-15 11:18:19 · answer #6 · answered by kja63 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The gun question is none of his business. Sex? Marginal. If you are promiscuous, you could get a STD. Otherwise, it's none of his business.
Alcohol? If you don't drink because you are a recovering alcoholic, that could have health implications, and he might need to know.
I'd get a new doctor.
2007-02-15 11:19:54 · answer #7 · answered by Dave 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
They are typical psychologist questions. He probably askes every client those same questions. Maybe just for entertainment.
2007-02-15 11:17:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your doctor sounds like a freaking idiot!
Cheers
2007-02-15 11:17:46 · answer #9 · answered by Daft One 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Good question - I can't see any relevance - in fact it seems prying - none of the doctor's business.
2007-02-15 11:20:56 · answer #10 · answered by All hat 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋