Ethics & Law · patient case question
Which of the following is an open-ended question?
Patient case: Behaviour, communication and quitting
demo: Adult patient in a health-promotion consultation
chief: Attends for a check-up and mentions he would like to stop smoking.
history: Smokes 15 cigarettes a day and has done so for twenty years. He has tried to quit twice before without support.
meds: None.
findings: Generalised staining and halitosis. No mucosal lesions on careful examination.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. What makes you think you have a problem with your gums?
- A. Correct. An open-ended question cannot be answered with yes, no or a forced choice. It invites the patient to describe their concerns, reasoning and history in their own words, which surfaces information a checklist never reaches. Open questions are foundational to motivational interviewing.
- B. This invites a yes or no answer and is closed.
- C. This is also closed, answerable in a single word.
- D. This offers a forced choice between two alternatives, which is a closed question even though it looks conversational.