PODJĘCIE DECYZJI O KORZYSTANIU Z USŁUG MEDYCZNYCH W KONTEKŚCIE KONCEPCJI LAY REFERRAL SYSTEM. PRZYPADEK CHORÓB NOWOTWOROWYCH
TAKING DECISION ABOUT USING MEDICAL SERVICES IN VIEW OF THE LAY REFERRAL SYSTEM CONCEPT. THE CASE OF ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES

Summary/Abstract: Nowadays, oncological diseases are one of the most serious health and social problems. Early diagnose and undertaking rapid and effective therapy increase probability of the patient’s recovery. Reflections, presented in the article concentrate on social-cultural factors, which might influence the process of taking up the decision about using professional medical help in case of noticing worrying symptoms. Most sickness symptoms are interpreted, evaluated and treated within frames of lay and not professional ‒ medical system. Manners of proceedings depend, at the big extent, on the knowledge and experience of people who are in the surrounding of the individual, who experiences the worrying symptoms, and on their conviction about the illness itself, moral values and principles which they present themselves, as well as their attitude and behavior in the face of illness. That is why the issue of undertaking the decision on using medical services is analyzed in the context of “lay referral system”, the concept created by E. Freidson. In the article, the special attention is paid to such issues as socially widespread phenomenon of “cancerfobia”, fatalistic beliefs about cancer, also the stigma, that accompanies oncological diseases, and meaning of social support in the case of cancer.

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