Ryuichi Ohta1,2, Mikiya Sato3,4, Yoshinori Ryu5, Jun Kitayuguchi6, Tetsuhiro Maeno3,7, Chiaki Sano8. 1. Community Care, Unnan City Hospital, 96-1 Iida Daito-cho, Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. ryuichiohta0120@gmail.com. 2. Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. ryuichiohta0120@gmail.com. 3. Health Services Development and Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. 4. Health Services Center, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Human Resources Group, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. 5. Community Care, Unnan City Hospital, 96-1 Iida Daito-cho, Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. 6. Physical Education and Medicine Research Center Unnan, Unnan, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. 7. Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. 8. Department of Community Medicine Management, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya cho, Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Appropriate help-seeking behavior (HSB) that involves lay and professional care may moderate the usage of medical resources and promote good health, especially among the rural elderly. However, there is little evidence regarding the rural elderly's HSB choices for mild symptoms. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge this gap. METHODS: The participants were patients living in rural areas and over the age of 65, who attended Japanese clinics and general hospitals. In Phase 1, monthly diaries and one-on-one interviews about their mild symptoms and HSB were used to establish HSB items and assess its content validity. Content analysis helped determine the items. In Phase 2, participants were asked to complete the list to measure HSB. The answers to the list and HSB mentioned in the diaries were compared to evaluate concurrent validity. Retests were conducted to examine the content's reliability and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Phase 1 included 267 participants (average age = 75.1 years, standard deviation [SD] = 4.3; 50.1% male). The diary collection rate was 97.6%. Of the participants, 70.4% used lay care and 25.4% used professional care. Content analysis identified eight types of lay care and four types of professional care. Phase 2 included 315 participants (average age = 77.7 years, SD = 8.27; 46.0% male). In terms of validity, the results of the list and the diaries were correlated (Spearman r 0.704; p < 0.001). The most common behavior with mild symptoms was consulting with primary care physicians, followed by self-care and using home medicine. The test-retest reliability for mild symptoms found kappa values of 0.836 for lay care and 0.808 for professional care. CONCLUSIONS: The choices of HSB for mild symptoms clarified identified in this study have high validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess the relationships between HSB and health conditions and the effectiveness of health promotion on rural older people's HSB.
BACKGROUND: Appropriate help-seeking behavior (HSB) that involves lay and professional care may moderate the usage of medical resources and promote good health, especially among the rural elderly. However, there is little evidence regarding the rural elderly's HSB choices for mild symptoms. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge this gap. METHODS: The participants were patients living in rural areas and over the age of 65, who attended Japanese clinics and general hospitals. In Phase 1, monthly diaries and one-on-one interviews about their mild symptoms and HSB were used to establish HSB items and assess its content validity. Content analysis helped determine the items. In Phase 2, participants were asked to complete the list to measure HSB. The answers to the list and HSB mentioned in the diaries were compared to evaluate concurrent validity. Retests were conducted to examine the content's reliability and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Phase 1 included 267 participants (average age = 75.1 years, standard deviation [SD] = 4.3; 50.1% male). The diary collection rate was 97.6%. Of the participants, 70.4% used lay care and 25.4% used professional care. Content analysis identified eight types of lay care and four types of professional care. Phase 2 included 315 participants (average age = 77.7 years, SD = 8.27; 46.0% male). In terms of validity, the results of the list and the diaries were correlated (Spearman r 0.704; p < 0.001). The most common behavior with mild symptoms was consulting with primary care physicians, followed by self-care and using home medicine. The test-retest reliability for mild symptoms found kappa values of 0.836 for lay care and 0.808 for professional care. CONCLUSIONS: The choices of HSB for mild symptoms clarified identified in this study have high validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess the relationships between HSB and health conditions and the effectiveness of health promotion on rural older people's HSB.
Entities:
Keywords:
Elderly patients; Help-seeking behavior; Japan; Lay care; Professional care
Authors: Sara Willems; Wim Peersman; Philippe De Maeyer; Walter Buylaert; Jan De Maeseneer; Peter De Paepe Journal: BMC Fam Pract Date: 2013-09-14 Impact factor: 2.497