In patient communication, open-ended questions are used to encourage patients to:

• A. Provide yes-or-no answers
• B. Give brief one-word responses
• C. Share more about thoughts and feelings
• D. Finish quickly

Answer: (C)

Open-ended questions in patient communication invite patients to share more about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. They begin with prompts like “What,” “How,” or “Tell me about,” and require more than a yes-or-no response. This approach yields richer information about symptoms, daily impact, concerns, coping strategies, and barriers to care, which supports a more accurate assessment and patient-centered planning. It also helps build trust and demonstrates that the patient’s perspective matters, fostering better communication and engagement. For example, asking, “How has this condition affected your daily routine?” or “What worries you most about your treatment?” encourages a fuller narrative. In contrast, yes-or-no or one-word questions tend to close conversations quickly and provide only limited context.