Session4 - Laybeliefs

Question 1

Why are lay beliefs important to clinicians?

Answer 1

• Patients use lay beliefs to understand health and illness, it is important clinicians understand these as they impact on health behaviour and compliance, in addition to health promotion
• Medical information may be rejected if it is incompatible with people ideas and beliefs
• Lay understandings may construct a family history eg heart disease

Question 2

What is the negative perception of health?

Answer 2

• Health equates to the absence of illness

- Often the opinion of low socioeconomic groups

Question 3

What is the functional perception of health?

Answer 3

• Health is the ability to do certain things

- Common belief of the elderly

Question 4

What is the positive perception of health

Answer 4

• Health is a state of wellbeing and fitness

- Often the view of higher socioeconomic groups

Question 5

What are lay theories?

Answer 5

-Theories about health and illness drawn on social, cultural and personal knowledge and/or experience

Question 6

What is health behaviour?

Answer 6

-Activity undertaken for the purpose of maintaining health and preventing illness

Question 7

What is illness behaviour?

Answer 7

-Activity of ill person to define illness and seek solution

Question 8

What is sick role behaviour?

Answer 8

-Formal response to symptoms including seeking formal help and action of person as pathient

Question 9

What is the illness iceberg?

Answer 9

-Most symptoms never get to a doctor and are treated with laycare eg otc medication

Question 10

What are lay beliefs

Answer 10

-Ideas and beliefs constructed be a person with no specialised knowledge which helps them to understand health and illness

Question 11

List some factors which influence illness behaviour

Answer 11

• Culture eg stoical attitude
• Visibility of symptoms
• Extent of disruption
• Frequency/persistence
• Tolerance threshold

Question 12

What is lay referral?

Answer 12

-Symptoms discussed with others and a chain of advice-seeking contacts which the sick make with other lay people prior to, or instead of, seeking help from HCPs

Question 13

Why may people delay consultation with a doctor?

Answer 13

• Experience of, and attitudes towards health professionals
• Symptom evaluation
• May have developed explanations for symptoms (lay beliefs) -> recognition that the explanation inadequate may prompt consultation
• Lay beliefs about what things are supposed to present like

Question 14

How do lay beliefs effect compliance?

Answer 14

-Beliefs about treatment influence patient decisions to take medication eg denial of disease and/or treatment, acceptance