Health Psychology 46-339
F. Sirois, Summer 2007
Preparation Guide #6
Topics: Using health services, patient-provider relations
Please complete the reading, and prepare to discuss the questions below with a partner(s) in class.
Readings: CH. 8,9
Questions:
1. Discuss two factors that influence the recognition of symptoms, and one factor that influences the
interpretation of symptoms. How are each related to care-seeking?
2. What are illness representations/schemas? Give an example to illustrate your answer. How do
illness schemas influence the use of health-services?
3. What is the lay referral network? The text states that the Internet may be a lay referral network.
Do you agree or not and why? How does the Internet differ from the traditional lay referral networks.
4. People often delay seeking-care for their symptoms. How is delay defined and what are the
different stages/time periods at which a person may delay seeking care?
Health Psychology 46-339
F. Sirois, Summer 2007
5. Discuss how increased use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in recent years is
related to changes in the philosophy of health-care delivery? What other factors may contribute to
the rising popularity of CAM?
6. What is one of the consequences of poor patient-provider relations? What can be done to improve
these relations?
7. What are some of the physician factors that contribute to faulty communications between doctors
and their patients?
8. What are some of the patient factors that contribute to faulty communications between doctors
and their patients?
9. What is the placebo effect? Discuss three factors that influence whether or not a placebo effect
occurs and elaborate on how these factors are involved.