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Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

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Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

history and examination format

Social History : Mnemonics

Epomedicine, Mar 19, 2022Mar 19, 2022
history and examination format

Mnemonic: FED TACOS

  1. Food
  2. Exercise
  3. Drugs
  4. Tobacco
  5. Alcohol
  6. Caffeine
  7. Occupation
  8. Sexual history

Reference and further reading: History and Physical Examination: A Common Sense Approach By Mark Kauffman (DO.)

Mnemonic: 10 Fs

  1. Family/Friends: Marital status, Caregivers and their status
  2. Fertility: Impotence for men, Other issues for women
  3. Food: Dietary history
  4. Freud: Symptoms of depression including suicidal attempts
  5. Fags: Alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs
  6. Function: Cognition, bladder/ bowels, hearing or visual loss, mobility issues including falls risk, ADLs
  7. Footsteps: Where do they live? Number of steps to house/flat
  8. Fun: Hobbies
  9. Finances: Any difficulty
  10. Feel about illness, future: What they see as the greatest problem

Reference: Social History (passthefracp.com)

Mnemonic: ETOH SHOTS

  1. Education: Level of education and ability to understand instructions
  2. Treatment plan: Any insurance coverage? Can they afford treatment planned?
  3. Offspring/Supports: Any children or social support for helping them after discharge?
  4. Home: Location and safety of home
  5. Habits: Smoking, Alcohol, Drug abuse
  6. Occupation: Relevant as a etiology or return to work after treatment
  7. Travel: Infectious diseases related illness specific to area
  8. Sick contacts

Reference: https://canadiem.org/tiny-tips-social-history/

Eliciting Smoking and Alcohol History
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Epomedicine. Social History : Mnemonics [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2022 Mar 19 [cited 2026 Aug 12]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/clinical-medicine/social-history-mnemonics/.

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