L3: Lay beliefs and Lay networks

Question 1

What is the biomedical model?

Answer 1

Illness is understood in terms of biological and physiological processes
Treatment involves physical interventions (drugs, sugery)
Western medicine

Question 2

Define health?

Answer 2

State of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely in the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 3

What is the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 3

Incorporates social, biological and psychological aspects of health

Question 4

What is meant by psychological aspect of health?

Answer 4

Cognition, behaviour and emotion

Question 5

What is meant by social aspect of health?

Answer 5

Social class, employment and social support

Question 6

What is meant by the biological aspect of health?

Answer 6

Physiological, genetics and pathogens etc…

Question 7

What are lay beliefs?

Answer 7

How people understand and make sense of health and illness and what is wrong with them
Determines compliance/ non compliance with treatment
Often difference between lay and medical concepts

Question 8

What impacts peoples beliefs about health?

Answer 8

People and things around them
Cultural, social and personal knowledge and experience and own biography
Understanding of family history of disease

Question 9

What different perceptions of health do people have?

Answer 9

Positive
Negative
Functional

Question 10

What are the differences between positive, negative and functional definitions of health?

Answer 10

Positive- Health is a state of well being and fitness–> do things to prevent you getting ill
Negative- Health equates to absence of illness
Functional- Health is the ability to do certain things

Question 11

How do lay theories impact on treatment?

Answer 11

If medical information doesn’t match up with own beliefs it may be rejected
People may not adhere to treatment as it doesn’t fit with what they think
People don’t follow public health advice if it doesn’t match with beliefs

Question 12

What does lay epidemiology mean?

Answer 12

Term used to describe how lay people understand and interpret health risks

Question 13

What influence do lay beliefs have on behaviour?

Answer 13

Health behaviour
Illness behaviour
Sick role behaviour

Question 14

What are health behaviours?

Answer 14

Activities that impacts on health or helps prevent illness

Question 15

What are illness behaviours?

Answer 15

Activity of ill person to define illness and seek solutions

Question 16

What are sick role behaviours?

Answer 16

Formal response to symptoms, including seeking formal help and action of person as patient

Question 17

Why do health behaviours vary between groups?

Answer 17

Social class often impacts
Higher social class--> positive definition of health --> do things to remain healthy and well 
Lower social class--> functional or negative definition of health--> unhealthy behaviours are normalised 
Beliefs about health are different

Question 18

What influences illness behaviour?

Answer 18

Culture
Visibility or salience of symptoms 
Extent to which symptoms disrupt life
Frequency and persistence of symptoms 
Tolerance threshold 
Information and understanding
Availability of resources 
Lay referral

Question 19

What is meant by lay referral/ lay referral system?

Answer 19

Rare for people to go to Dr without consulting others
Chain of advice-seeking contacts which the sick make with other lay people prior to- or instead of- seeking help from health care professionals

Question 20

Why is it important for doctors to understand lay referral?

Answer 20

• Helps you to understand why people might delay seeking help and why they come when they do
• Understand the role of a doctor in their health
• Understand use of health services and medication
• Understand use of alternative medicine

Question 21

What influence when people seek help?

Answer 21

1. Symptom experience
2. Symptom evaluation
3. Knowledge of disease and treatments
4. Experience of and attitudes towards health professionals

Question 22

How do people respond differently to getting treatment?

Answer 22

Early presenters: experience significant and rapid impact on functional ability
Delayers: often developed explanations for symptoms that related to preceding activities

Question 23

What is a key factor in influencing how quickly medical advice is sought?

Answer 23

Symptom evaluation

Question 24

How do different groups of people respond to treatment?

Answer 24

Deniers and distancers
Acceptors
Pragmatists

Question 25

What are deniers and distancers?

Answer 25

Deny having the condition (deniers) or deny having proper condition (distancers)
Claim that symptoms do not interfere with everyday life
Use complex or drastic strategies to hide the condition
Don’t take drugs or attend clinics

Question 26

What are acceptors?

Answer 26

Accept diagnosis and doctors advice completely
Normal life involves having control of symptoms through medication
Happy to use medication in public

Question 27

What are pragmatists?

Answer 27

Use preventative medication but only when condition is bad

Accept they have condition but only think it is mild

Question 28

How do these health believes impact medical advice?

Answer 28

Medication behaviour is tied to people beliefs about condition, social circumstances and threat to identity
Irrational use of medication is embedded in complex social identities
Symptoms for patients may be different to those for professionals