Information provided by the patient about symptoms is classified as which type of data?

Information provided by the patient about symptoms is classified as which type of data?

• A. Objective
• B. Subjective
• C. Vital signs
• D. Diagnosis

Answer: (B)

Symptoms reported by a patient are subjective data. They reflect the patient’s personal experience and description of how they feel, such as pain, nausea, fatigue, or dizziness, and cannot be measured directly by someone else. Objective data, in contrast, are measurable or observable things like vital signs, physical exam findings, and lab results. A diagnosis is a clinical conclusion formed from both subjective and objective data, not a data type itself. So patient-reported symptoms fall under subjective data.

Symptoms reported by a patient are subjective data. They reflect the patient’s personal experience and description of how they feel, such as pain, nausea, fatigue, or dizziness, and cannot be measured directly by someone else. Objective data, in contrast, are measurable or observable things like vital signs, physical exam findings, and lab results. A diagnosis is a clinical conclusion formed from both subjective and objective data, not a data type itself. So patient-reported symptoms fall under subjective data.