A doctor may ask about earlier illnesses and health problems before deciding on care for today. Those questions are separate from the reason for this visit.
For the names of common illnesses, see illnesses and health conditions.
Terms for medical history
One term is a single earlier problem. The plural is the form in the doctor's question:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un antécédent médical | an item in your medical history |
| les antécédents médicaux | medical history |
| un problème de santé | a health problem |
Les antécédents médicaux covers earlier conditions and medical events that can affect your care. Un problème de santé is the ordinary term, and it does not name a particular illness.
Answer questions about earlier problems
The doctor usually asks about one kind of history at a time, not for a full account:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Vous avez des antécédents médicaux ? | Do you have any medical history? |
| Vous avez des problèmes de santé particuliers ? | Do you have any particular health problems? |
| Vous avez déjà eu ce problème ? | Have you had this problem before? |
| Oui, j'ai déjà eu ce problème. | Yes, I've had this problem before. |
| Non, c'est la première fois. | No, this is the first time. |
Déjà in the question asks whether the problem has happened before. C'est la première fois answers that it has not.
From learning to practice
On a form or in the first minutes of a visit, listen for antécédents. The question is about earlier problems, not about how you feel today.