Symptom Perception, Illness and Behaviour

Question 1

what is the symptom ice berg

Answer 1

The symptom iceberg describes the phenomenon that most symptoms are managed in the community without people seeking professional health care. The visible part of the iceberg for a particular symptom represents the proportion that is presented to healthcare services; the submerged part is the proportion that is not. Research into the frequency of different symptoms (that is, the overall size of respective icebergs) and their relationship to individual characteristics, including presence of chronic conditions, informs the development of efficient symptom-based predictive models for serious disease, such as cancer referral guidelines

Question 2

what is sensation

Answer 2

Sensation detecting a stimulus and converting it into neural activity eg. vision via rods and cones in eye nociception via sensory receptor in skin

Question 3

perception

Answer 3

Perception - an active psychological process - neurophysiological process , including memory by which an organism became aware of and interprets external stimuli or sensations

Question 4

what is a symptom

Answer 4

Symptom - consciously appreciated sensation of a physiological problem

Question 5

what do negative emotional States lead to

Answer 5

Lead to increased attention to, negative evaluation and awareness of repsiraptry symptoms regardless of respiratory function
Alter respiratory patterns eg emotional breathing which may affect physiology and perception, especially in susceptible individuals
Eg fear may lead to decreased activity/fitness, increment dyspnoea
Are associated with over-perception ( eg. via anxiety) and under perception( eg via depression) of bronchoconstriction
Interact with cognitions ( perceived control over symptoms)

Question 6

what is the common-sense/self regulatory model good for

Answer 6

Useful for understanding people’s interpretations of symptoms and how that impact on them
Stage 1 is the symptom and then you will have a cognitive and emotional response to that
Illness cognitions/beliefs/perceptions
Mental representation for interpreting symptoms, understanding and responding to illness
Symptom interpretation - making sense of sensations, labelling as symptoms, illness ( distinct entity apart from person)

Question 7

missatribtuions in hypertension

Answer 7

Commonsense beliefs, mental models about illness change with experience of condition but sometimes conflict with medical viewpoint
Belief that hypertension manifested in symptoms
Belief that treatment reduced symptoms, but also caused side effects
Under ⅔ viewed HT as a chronic condition
Influence adherence to treatment, switching treatment and BP control ie illness behaviour and outcomes