第讲 Illness in the Community.pptVIP

Self-Care and Other Alternatives to Medical Care It will be clear from the above studies that the majority of symptom episodes are managed by the sufferers themselves without recourse to medical advice. Self-care refers to all the actions taken by a sufferer on his or her own behalf. These actions may replace medical advice or they may precede consultation with a physician. Forms of Self-care Self-medication Other remedial actions Consultation with others Use folk alternative medicine Self-medication High rates of self-medication (50-80% of adults reported taking an over-the-counter medication in a two- to four-week period). The great majority of these are analgesics, cold remedies, and antacids. The pharmacist is often a source of advice on over-the-counter medication. In neighborhood pharmacies, for every 100 prescriptions issued, about nineteen other people asked for advice on health problems. The most common of these were upper respiratory infections, stomach and bowel complaints, pain, and inquiries about vitamins. Other remedial actions A large number of nonmedical actions were reported. Social actions, like taking to friends or relatives, attending a club, or going out for a meal Individual actions, like doing housework, going out shopping, or gardening. All these actions were re-corded because they were viewed as being therapeutic. Consultation with others There may be lay referral, or consultation with family members, friends, neighbors, and other nonprofessional people whose advice may be sought. Certain individuals in a neighborhood may have a reputation for being knowledgeable in health matters.Others may be valued for their advice on personal problems. All societies have resources of this kind, quite independent of the health care system. In highly mobile societies there is less opportunity for such informal aid systems to develop. This may help to explain the large number of personal problems that are presented to family physicians in in