Use of Health Services

Question 1

What are the major factors implicated in the utilisation/use of the health services?

Answer 1

• Differences in symptom perception
• Influence of prior experience
• Individual health beliefs and ideas held
• Cost-benefit evaluation of seeking medical attention
• Social or emotional factors
• Quality of relationship with doctor

Question 2

What is the treatment delay?

Answer 2

Time that elapses between first perception of symptom and when the person enters medical care

Question 3

What are the three stages of treatment delay?

Answer 3

1. Appraisal delay - the time a person takes to interpret a symptom as an indication of illness
2. Illness delay - the time between recognising one is ill and deciding to seek medical attention
3. Utilisation delay - the time after deciding to seek medical care until actually going in to use that health service

Question 4

What are the factors affecting symptom perception?

Answer 4

• Individual differences
• Competing environmental stimuli - don’t notice it during competitions
• Psychosocial influences - cognition/placebos, emotional factors
• Socio-cultural differences - females, asians