Lay beliefs about health & illness.

Question 1

By what definitions can socioeconomic groups perceive health?

Answer 1

Negative: healthy means no symptoms - tends to be lower SE groups

Functional: healthy means I can still do certain things independently - tends to be elderly/ older generation

Positive: healthy means being in a fit and state of wellbeing - tends to be higher SE groups

Question 2

Describe what a lay theory is.

Answer 2

They are complex and sophisticated theories that are based on cultural, social, personal knowledge, experience.

Question 3

According to lay theories, how can people react to medical information?

Answer 3

Can reject medical information if it contradicts what they have heard or believe and consider there is valuable evidence behind them.

Question 4

What are 2 things you need to know for lay theories?

Answer 4

Understand why and how an illness occurs

Why it happened to a specific person at a specific time: why after… events, age?
why not this person?

Question 5

According to the lay beliefs, why do certain people become ill at particular times?

Answer 5

It is a combination of personal, familial and social knowledge/experiences so they individuals develop and ‘ideal’ candidate for specific conditions.

Question 6

What would be your idea of a coronary candidate…

Answer 6

(no right answer)

eg: smoker, any risk factors, obese, unfit…

Question 7

If someone was diagnosed with a condition, why would they think that it never should have applied to them?

Answer 7

Contradicts their ‘ideal’ candidate
Randomness/fate
Would be the least likely candidate in their opinion

Question 8

Describe ‘health behaviour’ in terms of lay beliefs influencing our behaviour?

Answer 8

We would do activities to prevent us from falling ill and maintaining our good health. (Eating healthier; exercise regularly; sleep adequate hours; quit ‘unhealthy’ habits)

Question 9

Describe ‘illness behaviour’ in terms of lay beliefs influencing our behaviour?

Answer 9

Whether or not someone will act upon experiencing symptoms, will define if they are ill or not.

Question 10

Describe ‘sickness role behaviour’ in terms of lay beliefs influencing our behaviour?

Answer 10

How people respond to experiencing symptoms (seeking formal help and what people do as patients).

Question 11

Why might we see more health-degenerating behaviours?

Answer 11

Higher social class=likely have +ve definition of health
Can focus on long term health investments.
Quitting a ‘bad’ health behaviour is rational.

Lower social class= less likely +ve health definition
Incentives to quit health-degenerating behaviours are not as clear.
Focus more on coping mechanisms which may be normalised: further enforcing ‘bad’ health habits.

Question 12

What does the symptom iceberg represent?

Answer 12

The minor exposed part of the iceberg means the small proportion of symptoms visible.

The majority under the water represents the symptoms that most people experience but never seek formal help for them.

Question 13

What can influence illness behaviour?

Answer 13

Culture - stoic attitude
Visibility/prominent symptoms
Whether/How symptoms affect daily life
Frequency & persistence of symptoms
Tolerance threshold
Information & understanding (is it a red flag?)
Availability of resources: time, place, work interference..
Lay referral (asking others for their opinion)

Question 14

How does the lay referral system work?

Answer 14

Discussing then asking for advice from other people before seeking formal help.

Question 15

Why is it important to understand lay referral?

Answer 15

It helps you understand:

why people delayed in seeking formal help
how, why, when people consult doctors
what your role is (in their opinion)
how they use health services & their meds
whether they use alternative medicines

Question 16

What 4 themes can influence someone’s decision to seek earlier intervention?

Answer 16

Symptom experience
Symptom evaluation
Knowledge of their condition and associated treatment
Past experience and attitudes to health professionals

Question 17

What would delay someone seeking help from health professional?

Answer 17

Not knowing that there are various degrees of symptoms
Their own experience of condition doesn’t fit the ‘profile’
Their own perception of the disease: ‘ideal candidate’; all experiences of same condition are the same and will end the same.

Question 18

What is important about long term conditions?

Answer 18

They are the majority of what England’s health services care for.

They have impacts beyond just physical function.

Question 19

Name the elements of the sociological theory on the work of LTCs.

Answer 19

Illness work
Everyday life work
Emotional work
Biographical work
Identity work

Question 20

Explain Illness work.

Answer 20

Causes an unpleasant period of uncertainty when diagnosed: shocking, threatening, relieving.

Normal physical activities are main focus when experiencing chronic illnesses: can change body and identity relationship.

Not easy management causing: poorer life quality; poorer mental health; difficult lifestyle changes.

Question 21

Explain Everyday life work.

Answer 21

Need to find ways of coping and managing condition and impacts.

1. Individuals try & hide illness to keep pre-illness lifestyle & identity intact.
2. Individuals accept that their illness means a new ‘normal’ life: others may behave, live differently now.

Question 22

Explain Emotional work.

Answer 22

Work people do to maintain +ve emotional wellbeing of others: downplaying pain; ‘cheery self’; normal activities done consciously.

Impacts more than others: ‘breadwinners’, wives, mothers, younger generations. You would now feel useless as now dependent on others.

Question 23

Explain Biographical work.

Answer 23

Loss of self. Your former image not yet replace by one of equal value: relationship between identity and body has changed.

You could grieve for past life due to LTC being major disruption so that could open you to the fragility of life.

Question 24

Explain Identity work.

Answer 24

Different conditions can mean different things to individuals: affecting their POV themselves or others. Illness could be identity’s defining aspect.

Stigma can occur with specific conditions: discreditable & discredited; felt or enacted.

Question 25

What is the difference between discreditable and discredited stigma?

Answer 25

Discreditable: nothing physically seen but discovery might mean different treatment towards yourself.
EG: mental illness, HIV +ve, dyslexia, EPILEPSY.

Discredited: visible characteristics which sets stigma.
EG: physical disability, known suicide attempt, EPILEPSY.

Question 26

What is the difference between felt and enacted stigma?

Answer 26

Enacted: you have experienced discrimination, prejudice, stigma due to knowledge of your condition.

Felt: fear of discrimination, prejudice, stigma if someone finds out about your condition-choose to conceal it.