Questions to Elicit the Patient's Understanding of Problem

Arthur Kleinman has developed an explanatory model for understanding a patient's conception of his/her  illness or injury.  

1. What do you call the problem?

2. What do you think has caused the problem?

3. Why do you think it started when it did?

4. What do you think the sickness does?

5. How severe is the sickness?  Will it have a short or long course?

6. What kind of treatment do you think you should receive?   What are the most important results you hope to receive from this treatment?

7. What are the chief problems the sickness has caused?

8. What do you fear most about the sickness?