Topic 3: lay health beliefs

Question 1

Define ‘lay health beliefs’

Answer 1

Beliefs of people with no medical training have about health + illness = may impact illness behavior

Question 2

What does ‘being healthy’ mean according to Herzlich

Answer 2

• Reserve of health
• Heath as equilibrium
• Health in a vacuum

Question 3

Define reserve of health

Answer 3

Having strength to resist disease e.g. feels strong enough to go on even with symptoms

Question 4

Define health as equilibrium

Answer 4

Balance between body + mind + individual + social world e.g. feels well balanced and not in conflict despite presence of condition

Question 5

Define health in a vacuum

Answer 5

That absence of condition = being healthy e.g. no diagnosed conditions means they are healthy even if not feeling well

Question 6

What does ‘being healthy’ mean according to Blaxter?

Answer 6

Health as a function

Question 7

Define health as function

Answer 7

Despite the presence of a condition:
- Ability to do things in everyday life
- Ability to achieve personal goals

Question 8

Define illness behavior

Answer 8

Taking action with regards to identifiable symptoms

Question 9

Give examples of illness related action

Answer 9

• Do nothing
• Visit GP
• Ask people
• OTC meds
• Alternative medicine

Question 10

What are the 6 factors that influence illness behavior?

Answer 10

1) Beliefs
2) Knowledge
3) Triggers
4) Lay referral
5) Encouragement of self-care/help
6) Availability of CAM

Question 11

Explain beliefs as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 11

Beliefs about health or about cause of illness may impact seeking help

Question 12

Explain knowledge as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 12

• Health literacy
• Some people have more knowledge than others = able to identify potential symptoms

Question 13

Explain triggers as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 13

Something that prompts a person to seek medical help, despite other factors such as cultural beliefs
- Pressure from others
- Restricting nature of symptoms

Question 14

Explain lay referral as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 14

Asking family, friends, and community for advice or due to similar past experiences

Question 15

Explain encouragement for self-care/help as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 15

• Self-treatment is common as people opt to not seek medical help and research themselves + OTC meds
• Main conditions: headaches, migraines, period, nausea
• Often the option recommended by lay referral

Question 16

Explain availability of Complementary and Alternative Medicin as a factor of influence on illness behavior

Answer 16

• CAM focuses on holism + self-treatment
• E.g. acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy
• Recent increase in CAM as some people have stopped believing in biomedicine

Question 17

What are the 4 lay beliefs about causes of illness?

Answer 17

1) Individual site
2) Natural site
3) Social site
4) Supernatural site

Question 18

Define individual site

Answer 18

Attributed to self e.g. food consumption

Question 19

Define natural site

Answer 19

Related to environmental factors e.g. cold, pollution

Question 20

Define social site

Answer 20

Inflicted by other due to conflict e.g. evil eye

Question 21

Define supernatural site

Answer 21

By supernatural entities e.g. God, spirits

Question 22

Where + why are all these sites more likely to be observed?

Answer 22

• Individual + natural = western industrialized societies
• Social + supernatural = developing countries / tribal societies
• Because western industrialized societies = integrate modern biomed into peoples lives

Question 23

Describe the process of seeking medical help

Answer 23

1) Perception of symptoms
2) Initial decision to seek help
3) Triggers
4) Decision to seek help
- Lay referral
- GP
- Self med/ alternative med

Question 25

What triggers can cause decision to seek medical help + examples?

Answer 25

• Interpersonal crisis = death in family
• Symptom interfere with social/personal relations = can’t go to social gatherings due to restrictions
• Sanctioning = family exerts pressure to visit GP
• Symptom interfere with physical activity = tired all the time and cannot be as productive at work
• Temporalization of symptoms = give self deadline and if symptoms presist they seek medical help