Illness behaviour in mothers with young children

doi:10.1016/0277-9536(85)90005-X

Social Science & Medicine

Volume 20, Issue 4, 1985, Pages 325-330

https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(85)90005-X Get rights and content

Abstract

113 families with young children were studied over a 12-month period, when all contacts with the general practitioner and hospital emergency services were recorded. Socioeconomic data was obtained at interview, together with responses to a vignette instrument describing common childhood problems. Health diaries were completed by 70% of mothers, providing further information about illness and mothers anxiety about it.

Analyses showed that significant disease in any child was the strongest predictor of frequency of new consultations, with measures of mothers anxiety, number of children in the family, mothers education level and her response to the vignettes also contributing significantly.

Socioeconomic deprivation was associated with increased utilisation, even when the effects of prevalence of chronic diseases, size of family and mothers' anxiety were taken into account.

From the spontaneous comments made during the vignette responses further information was obtained about how mothers reach the decision to consult the family doctor about children's illness.

Thus in a Primary Care setting some systematic differences have been demonstrated between high and low consulting families, which may partly explain the wide variation in spontaneous consultation rates observed.

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Why does it run in families? Explaining family similarity in help-seeking behaviour by shared circumstances, socialisation and selection
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Why do contact frequencies with general practice of family members resemble each other? Many aspects related to the clustering of health-care utilisation within families have been studied, but the underlying mechanisms have not been addressed. This article considers whether family similarity in contact frequency with general practice can be explained as (a) a result of shared circumstances, (b) through socialisation, and (c) through homogeneity of background characteristics.
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For general practitioners, the mechanisms identified can serve as a framework for a family case history. The importance of the mechanism of socialisation in explaining similarities in help-seeking behaviour between family members points to the significance of knowledge and health beliefs underlying consultation behaviour. An integrated framework including these aspects can help to better explain health behaviour.
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Why do the O'Sheas consult so often? An exploration of complex family illness behaviour
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Complex illness behaviour can be seen as a product of dysfunctional communication between doctors and patients. A methodology to understand such behaviour is described: it uses case record analysis and meetings with patients and health teams to create a set of family trees and graphs of consultation patterns; these are the basis on which to generate and test hypotheses. This model is used to explore the consultation rates of a family between the 1940s and 1988. Illness behaviours increased rapidly during the 1980s at a time when both the family and their general practitioners were undergoing rapid changes and losing significant members. Mutually unacknowledged depression may have been a key factor. Strategies for change are suggested.
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Illness behaviour in mothers with young children

Abstract

J. chron. Dis.

Medical help and maternal care in the life of low income families

Pediatrics

The influence of mothers on their children's health attitudes and behaviour

Pediatrics

The diary as a research instrument in the study of health and illness behaviour

Med. Care

Factors affecting school health follow-up

Am. J. publ. Hlth

The Process of Becoming Ill.

Symptoms and Illness: The Cognitive Organisation of Disorder

Mothers and Daughters: A Three Generational Study of Health and Attitudes and Behaviour

Mothers' appreciation of their children's symptoms

Jl R. Coll. gen. Pract.