why do people see doctors

On Being a Patient Why Do People See Doctors?

People see a doctor because they feel they need help. The underlying causes of the visit may be emotional, social, or physical and most often they are combination of these.

 

In any given month nearly 75% of the population suffers symptoms comparable to those presented to physician’s everyday. But only 1/3 of these potential patients will actually see or even phone a physician for help. Multi-Crore Rupees sales of prescription-less medication testify that many symptoms and illness are managed with home remedies and home treatment, 20000 tons of aspirin, nearly 225 tablets per person, are purchased each year in U.S.A. Even though people of today seem eager than their parents were, to seek medical advice, many still rely on self treatment when they feel ill until perhaps some ‘Last Straw” spurs a call for professional help. Clearly, the presence of symptoms alone doesn’t necessarily lead one to seek help.

 

Interaction between life stress and illness:

To study these relationship mothers of 512 families that included 2547 persons were asked by Roghmann and Haggertly to maintain diaries for 28 consecutive days. Episodes of illness, stressful events and calls or visits to physicians, pharmacies and pharmacist were recorded daily.

 

The study brought into focus that the occurrence of a stressful event in the family at the time of illness or by just before it increased the probability about 50%, that medical attention would be sought for symptoms. Even on days when there was no illness recorded the occurrence of a stressful event in the mother’s life increased by 80% the changes that would be a medial contact, often for a child in the family, rather than for the mother herself.

 

This particular interaction between life stress and illness implies that the visit for the child may be associated with the mother needing help but neglecting her own health. When this is the case, child specialist may hold the key to the mother’s health, either positively by guiding her toward help for herself or on the other hand, negatively by reprimanding her for taking a doctor’s time to see a healthy child.

The need for a diagnosis:

It should not surprise us that the trigger for a visit to the doctor is often a distressing event in the family or some circumstance that generates vague feelings of discomfort. When they feel stressed, many people become particularly sensitive to sensations in their bodies and they also have particular need for an explanation, a name or a diagnosis for their distress. In this society, people come to understand that it is the doctor who is supposed to tell them what is wrong with them. The patient has the right to know what he has and it is the duty of the doctor to explain to him including the result of various investigations he has performed on the patient. When it is difficult to make a diagnosis in a patient the doctor should not hesitate to take an opinion from another doctor. Many times patients suggest it to the treating physician to take second opinion.