The impact of symptom interpretation on physician utilization

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Understanding physician consultation decisions is crucial for elderly populations.
• Illness behavior research, including symptom interpretation and lay consultation, informs healthcare utilization.
• The Health Behavior Model provides a framework for analyzing health-related choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing physician consultation decisions among community-dwelling elderly individuals.
• To integrate illness behavior concepts with the Health Behavior Model for a comprehensive analysis.
• To identify key predictors of physician contact in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized personal interviews and daily health diaries over 21 consecutive days.
• Collected data from a probability sample of older adults residing in community settings.
• Employed quantitative analysis to identify significant predictors of physician consultation.

Main Results:

• Uncertainty regarding the potential seriousness of symptoms was a primary driver for seeking medical advice.
• The level of pain or functional interference experienced by elderly individuals significantly predicted physician contact.
• Causal attributions, or the perceived reasons for symptoms, were consistently significant predictors of consultation decisions.

Conclusions:

• Symptom perception, particularly uncertainty and perceived impact, plays a vital role in elderly healthcare-seeking behavior.
• The findings support and extend the Health Behavior Model by incorporating illness behavior nuances.
• Interventions aimed at improving symptom interpretation and addressing uncertainty may enhance appropriate physician consultation among older adults.