Chapter 9 Flashcards
1
Q
specialized functions of practitioners (and pros/cons of this)
A
- Because different services require vast amounts of knowledge, professionals specialize in one area
- Ex. GPs, pediatrics, cardiology, neurosurgeons, dermatologists, gynecologists, psychiatrists, etc.
- Advantage: patients receive greatest amount of expertise available for each health problem
- Disadvantage: specialists don’t always communicate with each other about a patient, and may only work with patients briefly -> impersonal
2
Q
office-based and in-patient treatment
A
- GP’s office: receive treatment or be referred to specialists or hospitals
- Hospitals: in-patient treatment; treat people with serious illnesses who require medical attention either continuously or involving complex equipment
- Nursing homes: in-patient care for those who need long-term medical and personal care; typically the elderly
- People are now relying less on inpatient care because it’s so expensive -> using outpatient or home healthcare services instead
3
Q
Canadian Healthcare System (and how it differs from other countries)
A
- Healthcare costs are paid for by Canada’s publicly funded health insurance program (Medicare)
- Regulated on a province-by-province basis -> funded health services differ throughout the country (ex. Fertility treatments funded in QB, but nowhere else)
- Canada is only country whose universal healthcare system doesn’t cover prescription drugs; vision and dental care not covered either -> often covered by private insurance plans
- Issues involving access to care and long wait times for hospital care, surgeries, or seeing specialists
- Other countries also have universal healthcare (ex. Australia, Germany, Sweden), but some don’t (ex. USA), and countries differ in what their universal healthcare system covers
4
Q
Factors that impact perception of symptoms
A
- Individual differences: Some people have more symptoms than others, higher pain tolerance, and pay more attention to internal states than others -> heightened awareness of body sensations
- Competing environmental stimuli: High degrees of environmental stimuli (ex. Exciting, overwhelming sensory info) can reduce ability to pay attention to internal stimuli
- Psychosocial influences: perception of body sensations can be influenced by cognitive, social, and emotional factors (ex. Placebo effect, or nocebo effect – perceiving side effects not actually caused by the drug)
- Gender and sociocultural differences: Reporting of symptoms varies by cultural group (ex. Asians report more physical symptoms with psychological bases, black individuals delay treatment longer, etc.); women have lower pain tolerance than men
5
Q
how to people interpret and respond to symptoms?
A
- Making correct decisions to seek medical care often relates to prior experience of similar problems (but sometimes it can lead to incorrect interpretations too)
- We create “commonsense models” or cognitive representations of illnesses based on experience and what we read about illnesses
- Fear can act as a motivator to seek treatment, or make you avoid treatment
- Can be influenced by a lay referral network (nonpractitioners who provide info – ie. Your friend telling you you should get that rash checked out)
6
Q
4 elements of creating a “commonsense model”
A
- Illness identity (name and symptoms)
- Causes and underlying pathology (how one gets the disease)
- Timeline (prognosis)
- Consequences (seriousness and outcomes)
7
Q
who uses health services?
A
- People with health risks like obesity use healthcare more than others
- Age and gender: children and the elderly use physicians more; females use physicians more
- Sociocultural factors: Advantaged groups use physicians more; Aboriginal people, recent immigrants, and people with low SES use physicians less (feel less susceptible to disease, have less access to physicians, language barrier may be in effect)
8
Q
factors influencing why people use, don’t use, or delay using health services
A
- Iatrogenic conditions: developing health problems as a result of medical treatment -> can lead to a distrust of physicians that reduces use of health services
- Patients can also lose trust in physicians if they feel stigmatized or fear breach of confidentiality
- Health belief model: perceived threat of illness must be high, and the perceived benefits of getting treatment must outweigh the perceived barriers or doing so in order to seek treatment out
- Social and emotional factors and seeking medical care: people with depression/low energy, who are embarrassed, or who are male tend to avoid medical care; people who are fearful or experience “sanctioning” (when friend insists they get treatment) more likely to seek care quickly (unless they’re afraid of the pain of treatment)
- Treatment delay: time between a patient first noticing symptoms and seeking medical care
9
Q
3 stages of treatment delay
A
- Appraisal delay: am I sick? Sped up if there’s severe pain/bleeding
- Illness delay: do I need professional care? Sped up if symptoms are unfamiliar
- Utilization delay: is that care worth the costs? Sped up if not concerned about cost, or felt like they could successfully be treated
10
Q
Complementary vs. Alternative medicine
A
- Complementary medicine: methods used along with conventional treatments
- Alternative medicine: used in place of conventional treatments
11
Q
4 main types of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
A
- Manipulative/body-based methods (ex. Massage therapy)
- Natural products (ex. Supplements and herbs)
- Mind-body interventions (ex. Progressive muscle relaxation)
- Other CAM practices (ex. Energy fields, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, etc.)
12
Q
2 types of problematic health service usage
A
- People who over-use health services
- Ex. Hypochondriacs: interpret real but benign bodily sensations as symptoms of illness; worry excessively about health, and make frequent medical complaints; have high levels of neuroticism
- People who have real health issues that medical technology cannot detect
- Ex. People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
13
Q
factors that influence patient-practitioner relationship
A
- patient preferences for participation in medical care
- practitioner’s behaviour and style
- patient’s behaviour and style
14
Q
factors that influence patient-practitioner relationship: patient’s preferences for participation
A
- a mismatch can lead to discomfort and wanting to switch doctors
- women and younger adults tend to want to be more involved and learn more info about their illness
15
Q
factors that influence patient-practitioner relationship: practitioner’s behaviour and style
A
- Doctor-centered: brief exchanges requiring brief answers, focusing on first problem person mentioned
- Patient-centered: asking more open-ended questions, allow patient to provide more information, avoid medical jargon -> preferred and make more effective diagnoses
- People prefer doctors who are competent but also sensitive, warm, and concerned
