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Men's help-seeking behavior with regards to lower bowel symptoms
Devesh V Oberoi1, Moyez Jiwa2, Alexandra McManus3
1Department of Medical Education, Curtin University, WA, Australia. deveshvarun.oberoi@curtin.edu.au.
American Journal of Health Behavior
|January 8, 2015
Summary
Men often delay seeking medical help for lower bowel symptoms due to misinterpreting them or fearing a cancer diagnosis. Health campaigns are needed to encourage timely consultations for better health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Men's Health
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Lower bowel symptoms in men are common.
- Delayed help-seeking can lead to poorer health outcomes.
- Understanding barriers is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and explore the barriers men face when seeking medical help for lower bowel symptoms.
- To inform the development of targeted health promotion strategies.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
- 13 men with lower bowel symptoms were recruited via purposive sampling.
- Thematic analysis was used to interpret interview transcripts.
Main Results:
- Common barriers included symptom misinterpretation and attributing symptoms to non-medical causes.
- Other barriers comprised cost of general practitioner (GP) consultation, low confidence, and fear of cancer diagnosis.
- Intermittent symptoms or self-treatment with over-the-counter medications also deterred help-seeking.
Conclusions:
- Significant barriers prevent men from seeking timely medical advice for lower bowel issues.
- Health promotion campaigns are essential to encourage men to consult healthcare professionals promptly.
- Addressing psychological and practical barriers can improve early diagnosis and treatment.
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