Health Beliefs

Question 1

Health

Answer 1

State of complete physical, mental and social well-being
World health organisation (1948)

Question 2

Ill

Answer 2

Symptoms are perceived, evaluated and acted upon
Social situation
Cultural differences

Question 3

Diagnosis

Answer 3

Process of determining the nature of a disease or disorder and distinguishing it from other possible conditions

Question 4

Diagnosis: perspective of clinician

Answer 4

Signs and symptoms are grouped together
Identify patterns in the body
Most appropriate action - further diagnosis, treatment, see what happens
Seen it before - know what it is and what to do

Question 5

What does a diagnosis do?

Answer 5

Gives reason for feeling ill
Act as reassurance
Legitimise behaviour
Expectation that healthcare professionals can treat it
Label
Stigmatise
Impact sense of what we are
Rename us to others

Question 6

What does a diagnosis not do?

Answer 6

Not always clear explanation
Not clear idea of future
No diagnosis - medical unexplained symptoms, lack of clarity

Question 7

Illness cognition

Answer 7

Patients own implicit common sense beliefs about their illness (Leventhal et al., 1980, 1997)
Framework for coping and understanding illness

Question 8

Cognitive dimensions of illness beliefs: identity

Answer 8

What they think the illness is

Question 9

Cognitive dimensions of illness beliefs: perceived cause

Answer 9

Cause of the illness

Question 10

Cognitive dimensions of illness beliefs: time line

Answer 10

Duration of the illness

Question 11

Cognitive dimensions of illness beliefs: consequences

Answer 11

Impact of the illness on their health
E.g. pain and symptoms, social life and work

Question 12

Cognitive dimensions of illness beliefs: durability and controllability

Answer 12

How likely it is to cure the illness and still live a good lifestyle

Question 13

Leventhal’s self regulatory model

Answer 13

Interpretation, coping and appraisal interrelate in order to maintain a status quo
Normal health disrupted - model purposes that the individual is motivated to return to the balance back to normality
Everything influences each other

Question 14

Leventhal’s self regulatory model: representation of health threat

Answer 14

Identity
Cause
Time line
Consequence
Cure/control

Question 15

Leventhal’s self regulatory model: stage 1 - interpretation

Answer 15

Symptom perception
Social messages - deviation from norm

Question 16

Leventhal’s self regulatory model: stage 2 - coping

Answer 16

Approach coping - learn and does as much as they can themselves
Avoidance coping - leave to healthcare professionals

Question 17

Leventhal’s self regulatory model: emotional response to health threats

Answer 17

Fear
Anxiety
Depression
Determination

Question 18

Locus of control

Answer 18

Degree to which people perceive themselves to be in control of a situation (Rotter, 1966)
Continuum

Question 19

Locus of control: internal

Answer 19

You are in control of events
Personally responsible of what happens to you
Your actions affect the outcome

Question 20

Locus of control: external

Answer 20

Events are uncontrollable
Controlled by external factors or luck
Things happen to you

Question 21

Health locus of control

Answer 21

Wallston and colleagues (1991, 1994)
Evaluates whether an individual believes their health is controlled by them or external factors
Internal - more likely to engage in health enhancing behaviours

Question 22

Internal health locus of control

Answer 22

Internal beliefs
High health protective behaviours

Question 23

External health locus of control

Answer 23

Strong external beliefs consider external forces
I.e. luck, fate, or chance

Question 24

Health locus of control: powerful others

Answer 24

Strong beliefs that state is determined by the actions of powerful others
I.e. healthcare professionals

Question 25

Learned helplessness

Answer 25

Seligman, 1972
Perceived lack of control
Cannot change the course of negative events
Response to failure

Question 26

Self-efficacy

Answer 26

One has the capabilities to execute the course of actions required to manage situation (Bandura, 1977, 1986).
Situation specific self-confidence
Belief in their ability to succeed
Rehabilitation process
Sense of mastery