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. 2012 Nov 3;2012:85–92.

Table 2:

Reasons for Use – Description, Examples, and Distribution Across Entries

Reason Description Examples Frequency
A. Problem Reasons
Problem in list Includes a problem that is in the list of values (should use problem field) “breast cancer at 70” “colon, age 75” 187 (37.4%)
Missing problem Includes a more specific or general problem, or problem that is not in the list of values “brain cancer” “throat, deceased 1963 age 60's” 200 (40.0%)
Multiple problems Lists multiple problems “skin, ovarian” “uterine, breast, kidney cancers” 71 (14.2%)
B. Relation Reasons
Relation in list Includes relation that is in the list of values (should use relation field) “Prostate, father” “skin cancer, grandmother” 34 (6.8%)
Missing relation Includes a more specific or general relation, or relation that is not in the list of values “great grandmother ovarian” “lymphoma, cousin” 41 (8.2%)
Multiple relations Lists multiple relations “SISTERS, AUNT” 21 (4.2%)
C. Onset Age Reasons
Onset age – exact Includes a specific onset age (should use age of onset field) “dx'd age 65” “onset age 60” 87 (17.4%)
Onset age – fuzzy Includes an estimated onset age “diagnosed in his 70s” “elderly onset” 45 (9.0%)
Onset date Includes onset or diagnosis date “diagnosed 10/2011” 1 (0.2%)
Multiple onset ages or dates Lists multiple onset dates “bilateral, age 37 then 45 in opposite breast” 2 (0.4%)
D. Other Reasons
Living status Indicates living status of family member (should use status field) “diagnosed at 62 Still living” “died of stomach cancer” 80 (16.0%)
Deceased age Includes exact or estimated age of death “aunt (died @ 90 years)” 60 (12.0%)
Deceased date Includes exact or estimated date of death “throat, deceased 1963 age 60's” 5 (1.0%)
Ambiguous age Includes an age but unclear if it is age of onset or death “9/2004, sister age 46” “8/6/99, brother 60” 2 (0.4%)
Ambiguous date Includes a date but unclear if it is for onset or death “10/31/97”, “4/2002” 16 (3.2%)
Negative history Specifies negative history for specific problem “no breast or colon cancer” 0 (0.0%)*
Certainty Indicates uncertainty about a particular problem, relation, or age “? bone or thyroid cancer” “uncertain what kind” 40 (8.0%)
Other conditions/findings Includes conditions or findings other than type of cancer “laryngeal, heavy smoker” “cervical cancer; obesity” 24 (4.8%)
Procedures/therapies/tests Includes reference to procedures, therapeutics, and/or tests “breast cancer – lumpectomy” “pat 1st cousin, BRCA neg” 20 (4.0%)
Other Any other information included “prostate metastisized”, “x 3”, “lymphoma remission” 31 (6.2%)
*

No occurrences in the sample of 500 entries