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Illness behavior and psychiatry.

R Mayou1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, UK.

General Hospital Psychiatry
|September 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Illness behavior provides a sociological perspective on medical and psychiatric concepts of illness. Understanding illness behavior is crucial, especially for patients with complex needs, but requires careful definition and assessment.

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Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Psychiatry
  • Medical Sociology

Background:

  • The term 'illness behavior' offers a valuable sociological lens for understanding medical and psychiatric illness concepts.
  • Its popularity is growing among psychiatrists, who apply it to patients with high healthcare demands.
  • Current usage varies, with illness behavior viewed as a symptom, syndrome, or dimension.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the utility and varied applications of the sociological term 'illness behavior' in medical and psychiatric contexts.
  • To clarify appropriate and inappropriate uses of the term, particularly concerning patient demands and consultation patterns.
  • To advocate for precise definitions and quantitative assessment methods for illness behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and conceptual analysis of the term 'illness behavior'.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of its application in psychiatric and general hospital settings.
  • Discussion of the need for specific, multi-measure assessments.

    • Main Results:

    • Illness behavior is a useful concept for understanding patients, especially in general hospitals.
    • Some applications of the term are idiosyncratic and lack clinical utility.
    • Distinguishing illness behavior from consultation behavior is essential.

    Conclusions:

    • The concept of illness behavior is valuable when applied appropriately, particularly for patients presenting complex needs.
    • Avoidance of arbitrary 'abnormality' claims and clear differentiation from 'consultation behavior' are necessary.
    • Quantitative assessment of specific illness behavior aspects is required for research and clinical practice.