Sociocultural variations in help-seeking behaviour for everyday symptoms and chronic disorders

ABSTRACT

In this study, we test the assumption that sociocultural differences in use of health services will occur only below a certain level of illness severity. Data are derived from the Curacao Health Study (N = 2248). Subjects' educational level and degree of proto-professionalisation were used as indicators of their sociocultural background. Differences in the likelihood of seeking professional care for several common health problems were analysed, and were compared with the help seeking behaviour for chronic disorders. As hypothesised, more highly educated and proto-professionalised people were less likely to seek care for everyday symptoms. In addition, proto-professionalisation was accompanied by a greater likelihood of using over the counter medication. Increasing empowerment of patients appeared to lead to increase self care for everyday symptoms. When conditions reached a more serious stage, the difference in help-seeking behaviour disappeared. For most of the chronic conditions studied, the higher educated and more proto-professional treatment as the less advantaged groups. However, there was a difference as to the type of professional consulted for chronic health problems. Proto-professionalised individuals more often received specialist treatment, probably because they were better equipped to persuade GPs to refer. The adverse side of patient empowerment may be increasing consumerism.(AU)