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Examining commonsense epidemiology: The case of asthma
Gabrielle Pogge1, Erika A Waters2, Gregory D Webster1
1University of Florida, USA.
Abstract:
Commonsense epidemiology-how lay people think about diseases and their causes and consequences-can influence how people respond. We examined three lay epidemiological beliefs about 20 triggers and 19 symptoms among 349 caregivers of children with asthma. Our findings contradicted the prevalence-seriousness hypothesis (perceived prevalence and seriousness correlate negatively). The data partially supported the prevalence-control hypothesis (perceived prevalence and asthma control correlate negatively). We found weak support for the seriousness-control hypothesis (perceived seriousness and asthma control correlate negatively). These findings suggest boundary conditions on the application of commonsense epidemiological beliefs.
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