Illness Behaviour Flashcards
Definition of illness behaviour
The ways in which given symptoms may be differently perceived, evaluated and acted upon by different people
Definition of lay referral system
Patient passed from person to person each with potentially greater expertise in problem
Describe the relationship between symptom prevalence and seeking help
Symptoms are very common
Most symptoms are not taken to the doctor
Something more than a symptom is needed before people go to the doctor
Describe the obligations and rights of Parson’s sick role
Obligations
- get better as fast as possible
- seek professional help and cooperate
Rights
- shed normal responsibilities
- not morally responsible for illness
When is Parson’s sick role model no trelevant
Some illnesses are a consequence of behaviour => morally responsible
Chronic illness may not benefit from professional advice, instead must learn to live with illness
Describe the 2 scenarios when people have a propensity to access the sick role
Some people are more inclined to go to the doctor regardless of the illness
Some people need support of the sick role
- diagnoses may legitimise their rights
- diagnosis may give you a reason to act oddly, not morally responsible for actions
What are the social triggers that might lead someone to go to the doctor
- 5 triggers
- what should you consider when you see these patients
Environmental stimulus + symptom => GP
People accommodate until symptoms
- interfere with work/social activities
- there is an interpersonal crisis
- someone tells them to go
- they continue beyond a given timeframe
People will come in with symptoms but they may not be the main reason for seeing you
Describe the health behaviours model for self efficacy
Perceived risk and susceptibility => perceived threat
Perceived costs and benefits => perceived outcome
What are the 4 alternatives to not seeing a healthcare professional
Ignore
Self medicate
Lay advice
Alternative practitioners
Describe the lay referral system
What are the 3 benefits
Patient passed from person to person, each with potentially greater expertise in problem
- allays anxieties
- some good advice
- good for self limiting conditions
Describe the benefits of consulting alternative practitioners
Possible greater expertise than conventional medicine
Stronger patient focus
Support for chronic conditions which cant be helped via conventional treatments
Describe the patient explanatory model
What evidence is this based upon
People try to make sense of their symptoms when they fail to go to the doctor
Considers behavioural and environmental factors that medical theories don’t
Based on anecdotal evidence
