Abstract
This chapter examines the way in which individuals experience and exhibit symptoms, and explores the factors that influence their responses to symptoms. It also illustrates that patients’ experience of symptoms does not inevitably lead to their seeking help from a health care professional. The way in which people respond to symptoms is often more complex than might at first be imagined. For instance, it may be assumed that a simple correlation exists between the severity of symptoms and the decision to consult a health professional.
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Further Reading
Black, N. et al. (1984) Health and Disease, Milton Keynes, Open University Press. Part One and Part Six.
Currer, C. and Stacey, M. (eds.) (1986) Concepts of Health, Illness and Disease: A Comparative Perspective, Lemington Spa, Berg Publications Ltd.
Fitzpatrick, R. et al. (1984) The Experience of Illness, London, Tavistock. Chapter Three.
Hannay, R. (1979) The Symptom Iceberg: a Study of Community Health, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul.
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Harding, G., Nettleton, S., Taylor, K. (1990). Sociological Understanding of Health and Illness. In: Sociology for Pharmacists. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-21149-4_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-21149-4_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-49765-4
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