Lay Beliefs About Health and Illness Flashcards
What are some issues with the biomedical model?
It might be too narrow as it doesn’t take psychological and social factors into account. An illness is understood on a biological and physiological plane and treated on that plane as well.
What is the biopsychosocial model?
A model which takes cognition, emotion, behaviour, physiology, genetics, pathogens, social class, employment, and social support into account for example.
Explain what lay beliefs are and how they work.
Lay beliefs are beliefs formed by the general population about health and illness. It depends on culture, religion, social class, economy, employment, social and personal knowledge and experiences.
What are the three main perceptions of health?
A negative definition.
A functional definition.
Positive definition.
What is the negative definition? In what groups of people can they be found? Are there any groups which do not think in lines of the negative definition.
Health is the absence of illness. Usually found in the lowest socioeconomic groups. All groups usually think in a negative definition but adds on to it.
Elderly people might expect to be ill in one way or another so this is not a definition they relate to.
What is the functional definition? In what groups of people can they be found?
Health is the ability to do certain things, usually relates to autonomy. It can vary in different degrees, e.g. for a completely healthy person you expect to be able to run and swim. As an elderly person autonomy and functional definition might differ where health is being able to cook for yourself and take care of your hygiene.
Functional definition is usually found in lower socioeconomic groups and elderly people.
What is the positive definition? In what groups of people can they be found?
Health is a state of wellbeing and fitness. Now we go beyond autonomy and absence of illness. Health relates to training, maybe low blood pressure etc. The entire biopsychosocial model starts to take place. Health is something to strive for and can usually be found in higher socioeconomic groups.
Why can lay beliefs be a problem in a patient to doctor relationship?
The lay beliefs might reject medical information if they are incompatible.
How can lay beliefs influence behaviour?
HIS
Health behaviour - Maintenance of health and prevention of illness.
Illness behaviour - Definition of illness and search for a solution.
Sick role behaviour - Formal response to symptoms. Seeking formal help and action of person as patient.
“Smoking is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups.” Explain this in terms of health behaviour.
Higher social groups are more likely to have a positive definition of health. Higher social groups have more incentives to remain health to focus on a long term investment so not smoking is rational.
A lower socioeconomic group focus more on improving immediate environment so a short term fix. Smoking can be a coping mechanism and a normalised behaviour that is social. Smoking is therefore rational.
What are some consequences of lay beliefs in illness behaviour?
50% of people who experience symptoms do nothing at all.
35% of people who experience symptoms use lay-care (self-care) by usually over the counter medicine.
12% seek consultation
This means that most symptoms never get to a doctor. This is known as symptom / illness iceberg.
What are some influential factors to illness behaviour?
Culture Visibility of symptoms Extent to which symptoms disrupt life Persistence / frequency of symptoms Pain tolerance Lay beliefs Economical status - can you take time off work? Lay referral - first discussing with a friend before going to doctor.
Why can lay beliefs be a good thing in illness behaviour?
Because it doesn’t make hospitals and GPs too busy because people generally know when to go to the doctor. Not all symptoms need consultation. Its about the right symptoms getting to the doctor at the right time.
What is lay referral and why is it important?
It is when people discuss their symptoms with someone else, a non healthcare professional, before seeking professional advice.
This is important because it helps us understand why they didn’t come sooner.
It explains your role as a doctor in their health.
The use of health services and medication.
Give an example of illness behaviour in terms of a disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Symptoms first experienced.
Symptoms are evaluated by person as either serious or non-serious.
If evaluated as serious the person seeks treatment. Their further knowledge of RA and treatment comes into play now.
The experience of treatment seeking and the attitude towards it and the health professionals now come into play.
