Lay Beliefs

Question 1

What are lay beliefs?

Answer 1

• Lay beliefs are how people understand and make sense of health and illness
• They are constructed by people with no specialised knowledge & are socially embedded

Question 2

Identify the 3 definitions for the different perceptions of health

Answer 2

• Negative definition
• Functional definition
• Positive definition

Question 3

What is the negative definition of health?

Answer 3

Negative definition – health equates to the absence of illness

Question 4

What is the positive definition of health?

Answer 4

Positive definition – health is a state of wellbeing and fitness

Question 5

What is the functional definition of health?

Answer 5

​Functional definition – health is the ability to do certain things

Question 6

Describe the nature of lay theories about health and illness

Answer 6

• Complex and sophisticated
• Draw on cultural, social and personal knowledge
• Medical information may be rejected if it is incompatible with competing ideas with good evidence

Question 7

What is the interplay between lay beliefs and medical information?

Answer 7

Question 8

What is health behaviour?

Answer 8

Health behaviour is activity undertaken for purpose of maintaining health and preventing illness

Question 9

What is illness behaviour?

Answer 9

Illness behaviour is the activity of ill person to define illness and seek solution

Question 10

What is sick role behaviour?

Answer 10

Sick role behaviour is the formal response to symptoms, including seeking formal help and action of person as patient

Question 11

Using the example of smoking, describe how health behaviour changes across socioeconomic groups?

Answer 11

• Higher social class:

I. Positive definition of health

II. Focus on long term investments

• Disadvantaged groups:

I. Focus on improving immediate environment

II. Smoking is a coping mechanism & may be normalised behaviour

Question 12

Illustrate the illness iceberg

Answer 12

• Over a two week period about 75% of the population experience 1/more symptoms of ill health:

I. For approx 50% of all symptoms – no action

II. For 35% of symptoms – use lay-care

III. For 12% of symptoms – consultation with GP

• Most symptoms never get to a doctor

Question 13

Identify 5 factors which influence illness behaviour

Answer 13

• Culture
• Lay referral
• Tolerance threshold
• Information and understanding
• Visibility, frequency and persistence of symptoms

Question 14

What is lay referral?

Answer 14

Lay referral is the chain of advice-seeking contacts which the sick make with other lay people prior to / instead of seeking help from health care professionals

Question 15

Provide 4 reasons as to why lay referral is important

Answer 15

One understands:

• Why people have delayed seeking help
• Why and when people consult a doctor
• Use of health services and medication
• Use of alternative medicines

Question 16

In terms of disease, provide 4 reasons for why people delay seeking medical advice

Answer 16

• Symptom experience
• Symptom evaluation
• Knowledge of disease
• Experience of and attitudes towards health professionals

Question 17

What are the three broad groups involving adherence to medication?

Answer 17

• “Deniers and distancers”
• “Accepters”
• “Pragmatists” (when symptoms appear)