personal and social history /pur″sənəl/ , (in a health history) an account of the personal and social details of a person’s life that serves to identify the person. Place of birth, religion, race, marital status, number of children, military status, occupational history, and place of residence are the usual components of this part of the history, but it may often include other information, such as education; current living situation; and smoking, alcohol, and drug habits. The personal and social history is obtained at the initial interview and becomes a part of the permanent record.
