Illness behavior in the aged. Implications for clinicians.

A better understanding of the processes through which elderly individuals perceive, evaluate, and act on symptoms will enable physicians to respond more appropriately to the needs of older patients. This paper reviews existing evidence on how the experience of chronic disease and the atypical presentation of symptoms influence symptom recognition and reporting among elderly individuals. A discussion of research on health perceptions suggests that some elderly may inappropriately deny illness and delay seeking medical care, while others with overly negative health perceptions may make excessive physician visits. An overview is presented of the process by which elderly individuals come to seek care from their physicians, combining evidence from the diverse literatures on chronic illness, atypical presentation of disease, and health perceptions. We conclude by discussing the practical implications of this information for clinicians working with the elderly.