Silly Doctors...

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I just had my bi-annual medical exam for my job, and I am required to fill out a mountain of paperwork each time I go in. The Lifestyle Choices section struck me as funny this time around:

1) Do you drink alcohol?
2) Do you smoke?
3) Do you abuse prescription medications?
4) Do you eat fatty or greasy foods?... SERIOUSLY!

Why did they have to lump fatty foods right under drug abuse? Also wishing they asked the question… Do you regularly consume added sugar or high carbohydrate foods?... or something like that. I fibbed a bit on the fatty foods response, I didn't feel like getting into a WOE discussion with an occupational health doctor.

Replies

  • SuesNewImage
    SuesNewImage Posts: 743 Member
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    Your answer is no I eat healthy.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Your answer is no I eat healthy.

    Exactly. :)
  • ShootingStar72
    ShootingStar72 Posts: 183 Member
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    LOL I agree! Answers were by checkbox, but next I'll just cross out the question and write that in a note next to it! ;)
  • thubten1
    thubten1 Posts: 29 Member
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    Just remember your health records are no longer private and can be used against you.
  • daylitemag
    daylitemag Posts: 604 Member
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    Is this a U.S. thing? I cannot possibly imagine a scenario in which an employer here in Canada could ask such questions. What is the point to the questions? If you answered "Hell Yeah, Party on Dude!" to all of those questions could they fire you, or something?
  • motown13
    motown13 Posts: 688 Member
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    daylitemag wrote: »
    Is this a U.S. thing? I cannot possibly imagine a scenario in which an employer here in Canada could ask such questions. What is the point to the questions? If you answered "Hell Yeah, Party on Dude!" to all of those questions could they fire you, or something?


    Hell, the insurance companies have people who call once or twice a year to ask about your health, and they have way too many questions. They identify themselves as "Health Coaches".

  • ambergem1969
    ambergem1969 Posts: 224 Member
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    It is primarily a US thing I think. In Canada we have some pretty stringent privacy laws - on top of federal legislation, most provinces have their own laws specifically protecting individual health information. Companies collecting your health info cannot share it, but they can use it to determine if you qualify for commercial products (i.e. if you want to get life insurance, most companies will do health exams or questionnaires to see if you are a good "bet"). But they can't share that info with anyone.
  • mandycat223
    mandycat223 Posts: 502 Member
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    It is primarily a US thing I think. In Canada we have some pretty stringent privacy laws - on top of federal legislation, most provinces have their own laws specifically protecting individual health information. Companies collecting your health info cannot share it, but they can use it to determine if you qualify for commercial products (i.e. if you want to get life insurance, most companies will do health exams or questionnaires to see if you are a good "bet"). But they can't share that info with anyone.

    Hmmm, what is this "privacy" thing of which you speak so glibly?

    Here in the U.S. we can only hope that insurance companies aren't authorized to peek in our bedroom windows to make sure we follow their safety guidelines, if you get my drift.