Understanding How People Manage Symptoms in the UK
Author Information
Author(s): Elliott Alison M, McAteer Anne, Hannaford Philip C
Primary Institution: University of Aberdeen
Hypothesis
What are the current management strategies used by the public in the UK for various symptoms?
Conclusion
The study found that while lay-care was commonly used, consultations with primary care professionals other than GPs were infrequent.
Supporting Evidence
- Just under half of all symptoms reported resulted in respondents doing nothing at all.
- Lay-care was used for 35% of symptoms, primarily through over-the-counter medicine.
- The GP was the most common health professional consulted for symptoms.
Takeaway
Most people in the UK don't go to the doctor when they feel sick; instead, they often just wait it out or use over-the-counter medicine.
Methodology
A postal questionnaire was sent to a stratified random sample of 8,000 adults aged 18-60 across the UK to gather data on symptom management.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may be subject to recall bias and retrospective bias.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate and may not fully represent the entire population, particularly older individuals and non-whites.
Participant Demographics
The sample included adults aged 18-60, with a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, but underrepresented non-white individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.01
Confidence Interval
99%
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website